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Secretary of State John Kerry and Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Anne Patterson met today with Moaz al Khatib, former President of the Syrian Opposition Coalition. Mr. Khatib shared his views on ways to advance a political solution to the crisis in Syria. Secretary Kerry emphasized that Bashar al-Asad is a brutal dictator with no legitimacy to lead Syria. The Secretary reaffirmed our commitment to pursuing all diplomatic avenues to help bring about a political transition based on the Geneva Principles that leads to an inclusive government and a future of freedom, dignity, and security for the...

Rania Alayed, a mum-of-three who had previously lived in Norton, had become ‘too Westernised’ when she was ‘lured’ to a Salford tower block and killed in June last year, a Manchester Crown Court murder trial heard. ... The defendant was violent, abusive and controlling - eventually though, the deceased lady had the courage to free herself from (Ahmed Al-Khatib), using a combination of Citizens Advice Bureau, the police and other agencies and eventually a solicitor. "She began to become a little too Westernised - she went to college and had friends, male and female. "This was all really too much...

Syrian opposition leader Moaz Al-Khatib, head of the Syrian National Council, has resigned his post. Al-Khatib said in a statement posted on Facebook that he had vowed to leave the position “if matters reached some red lines.” However, he did not offer any specifics as to what led to the decision, nor what the “red lines” were that had been crossed. “Now I am fulfilling my promise and announcing my resignation from the National Coalition in order to be able to work with freedom that cannot be available within the official institutions,” he said. The SNC was set to meet...

MUNICH — The leader of the Syrian opposition council, Mouaz al-Khatib, met here today with key representatives of the United States and Russia — who fundamentally disagree on how to resolve Syria's civil war — but the meetings were separate and there was no indication, officials said, that any progress had been made toward a workable plan to bring the violence to an end. snip Senior European officials here said Britain and France were both urging the Obama administration to stop blocking allies in the Persian Gulf, like Qatar, from providing rebels with more sophisticated arms and intelligence assistance. snip...

FBI agents searched the home of a prominent Islamic community leader and Iraq war critic, a bureau spokesman said, declining to reveal any reasons for the search. A dozen agents searched the home of Shakir Abdul-Kaf Hamoodi and his wife, Lamya Mukhlef Najem on Monday, FBI spokesman Jeff Lanza said. Agents removed boxes and computer equipment throughout the day, neighbors said. The search warrant has been sealed and Lanza wouldn't comment on what the agents were looking for. Federal agents on Monday also raided the offices of a Southfield, Mich., Muslim charity organization, Life for Relief and Development. In that...

September 18, 2006 BREAKING: Largest U.S. Islamic Charity Raided by FBI Printer Friendly By Debbie Schlussel I've been writing about LIFE for Relief and Development for years, and I think my columns (especially this one), have finally made a difference. Ditto for my complaints about LIFE to Assistant U.S. Attorney for counterterrorism, Ken Chadwell. Less than half an hour ago, the FBI began raiding LIFE and hauling out documents. Well, it's about time. LIFE--the largest Islamic charity still open for business in America--openly admitted on its 1995-'97 taxes to be a major funder of HAMAS. Headquartered in the Orthodox Jewish...

The Talk Shows Sunday, May 14th, 2006 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows: FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Laura Bush; author Mary Cheney; columnist Art Buchwald.MEET THE PRESS (NBC): Former House speaker Newt Gingrich. FACE THE NATION (CBS): White House national-security adviser Stephen Hadley; Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa.; Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif. THIS WEEK (ABC): First lady Laura Bush; Sens. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and Joe Biden, D-Del.; actress Reese Witherspoon. LATE EDITION (CNN) : Hadley; former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski; Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.; Abdul-Illah al-Khatib, Jordanian foreign minister.

BEIRUT, Lebanon - The alleged top al-Qaida operative in Lebanon, who was captured last week in a security operation that broke up a terrorist network, died of a heart attack Monday, hospital and security officials said. Ismail Mohammed al-Khatib was rushed from his prison cell to the Bahanes Hospital, 30 kilometers northeast of Beirut, after suffering a heart attack, but doctors were unable to save his life, hospital officials said. Lebanese security officials confirmed Khatib's death of a heart attack. Khatib was one of two top operatives of al-Qaida organization captured by Lebanese authorities last week along with 10 other...

Canada's intelligence service has warned police that members of one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the Middle East may try to infiltrate Canada to set up a support base, a newly released report reveals. The report says the discovery of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) fundraising network in Florida "raises the possibility of PIJ elements crossing the border to develop a similar infrastructure in Canada." It also claims Iran and Syria have provided money, training and safe haven to the radical Palestinian group, responsible for a wave of suicide bombings in Israel. Marked "For Police and Security Officials' Use...