Yvonne Ridley - Tehran Times Tehran Times - Iran's Leading International Daily http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings Mon, 12 Aug 2013 05:29:28 +0000 Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management en-gb British establishment blocks minute silence for suffragette http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings/106628-british-establishment-blocks-minute-silence-for-suffragette http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings/106628-british-establishment-blocks-minute-silence-for-suffragette ]]> amirsabetee@gmail.com (Yvonne Ridley) Yvonne Ridley Sun, 07 Apr 2013 19:58:22 +0000 Has Scotland Yard become toxic? http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings/105551-has-scotland-yard-become-toxic http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings/105551-has-scotland-yard-become-toxic ]]> amirsabetee@gmail.com (Yvonne Ridley) Yvonne Ridley Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:49:05 +0000 Algerians demand release of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings/104986-algerians-demand-release-of-dr-aafia-siddiqui- http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings/104986-algerians-demand-release-of-dr-aafia-siddiqui- ]]> amirsabetee@gmail.com (Yvonne Ridley) Yvonne Ridley Sat, 19 Jan 2013 17:21:37 +0000 Bush finally found guilty of war crimes http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings/97843-bush-finally-found-guilty-of-war-crimes http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings/97843-bush-finally-found-guilty-of-war-crimes ]]> amirsabetee@gmail.com (Yvonne Ridley) Yvonne Ridley Sun, 13 May 2012 17:17:29 +0000 British justice in dock over Abu Qatada http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings/95553-british-justice-in-dock-over-abu-qatada http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings/95553-british-justice-in-dock-over-abu-qatada ]]> amirsabetee@gmail.com (Yvonne Ridley) Yvonne Ridley Sat, 18 Feb 2012 12:09:27 +0000 Florida pastor bigger threat to U.S. security than Bradley Manning http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings/648-florida-pastor-bigger-threat-to-us-security-than-bradley-manning- http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings/648-florida-pastor-bigger-threat-to-us-security-than-bradley-manning- U.S. Army Private Bradley Manning was arrested, tortured and put in solitary confinement based on the absurd allegation that he is a threat to American national security. 

His alleged crime is that he handed over classified military and diplomatic documents to the whistle-blowing website, WikiLeaks. 

Among the accusations thrown at him by Pentagon top brass is that he endangered the lives of serving soldiers overseas by allegedly exposing U.S. war crimes to the world. 

Now, in an apparent act of revenge, his captors are subjecting him to sleep deprivation, prolonged time in isolation and continuous nude spot-checks - conditions said to be right out of the manual of the CIA for ‘enhanced interrogation’ as used and refined in Guantanamo Bay. 

So you see, when the U.S. government wants to act in a swift, unconstitutionally and in a vengeful way nothing can stop it. Ergo torture, water boarding and rendition as seen in the War on Terror. 

The truth is Bradley Manning’s actions have not cost anyone their life but, someone whose actions have triggered a killing spree of mayhem and murder is the American Pastor Terry Jones. 

His inexplicable act of burning a copy of the Holy Qur’an has caused a tsunami of revolt among ordinary Afghan people, and with the striking of a single match he has undoubtedly put the life of every U.S. squaddie based over there in danger. 

Sadly, I suspect what is unfolding in Afghanistan will be repeated in other sporadic outbreaks of violence in the Muslim world. 

Yet no one lifted a single finger to stop this deranged, evil old man from setting fire to a holy book revered by more than a billion Muslims ... a book, by the way that is also hugely respected by countless Christians, Jews and people of other faiths and no faiths. 

Now I’m sure some will claim that what he did was an expression of freedom and that he had every right to act in the way he did because America is the “Land of the Free” after all.

If that is the case can someone tell me why U.S. authorities are very quick to act against those who dare to criticize Israel for instance? The University of California at Irvine suspended its Muslim Student Union for a year when members heckled Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. in February 2010. 

Other students and teachers elsewhere in the U.S. have been punished, sacked or suspended for expressing anti-Israeli views or criticisms of the Zionist State. 

In fact, if you are too vocal about the evils of Zionism or voice your support for the Palestinians in the west Bank or Gaza, you can expect a home visit from FBI agents. 

So if U.S. authorities can jail Bradley Manning and punish him in an obscene way even before his trial, and they can sack, suspend and intimidate U.S. citizens for daring to criticize the Zionist State why did no one act swiftly to rein in the demented pastor? 

In September last year the so-called most powerful man on the planet, Barack Obama, urged Pastor Jones not to burn a copy of the Qur’an, saying it could cause “serious violence in places like Pakistan or Afghanistan”. General David Petraeus and even Ban Ki-moon joined in pleading with the pastor. 

Terry Jones backed down and he resumed preaching his hatred to his tiny flock in Florida which numbers less than two score and ten. 

But the attention seeking cleric, who was banned from entering Britain earlier this year because he is seen as a preacher of hate, went ahead anyway a few days ago and desecrated a copy of the Holy Qur’an. 

At a mock trial conducted by the mad cleric a “jury” found the Qur’an guilty of promoting violence. Only a handful of people were present for the kangaroo court which was held on Sunday March 20th, but it was streamed live on Truthsat-tv and went global thanks to the social networks. 

A violent reaction, as previously predicted by the U.S. President et al, was anticipated. 

President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan while condemning the incident urged the U.S. government to arrest Pastor Terry Jones. It was wise advice, foolishly ignored. 

As a result, riots erupted across Afghanistan which left 12 dead, including at least four Gurkhas and three United Nations staff. 

Not one U.S. soldier posted in a Muslim country would be wise to step out of a bunker or foxhole in this incendiary climate created by the American pastor. 

He has put all of their lives in danger and so must now be regarded as a very genuine threat to the national security of the U.S. -- far more so than young soldier Bradley Manning who was slapped in irons last May. 

The actions of those who went on a killing rampage is beyond belief, but we have to remember that for every action there is a reaction. 

And it is quite possible that the anger unleashed in Afghanistan was already bubbling just beneath the surface, thanks to the dozen soldiers from the Stryker Brigade who killed Afghan civilians cutting off body parts as trophies, then covered up their crimes. 

If the actions of the so-called Kill Team drove Afghans wild then it is possible the tipping point was the actions of Pastor Terry Jones who provided the ubiquitous straw to break the camel's back. 

This could all have been avoided if the authorities in the U.S. had acted in an appropriate manner way back in September. 

There was no such dithering or navel-gazing over what to do about Bradley Manning who has been confined for 23 hours a day in a six-foot by twelve-foot jail cell since his arrest. 
]]> info@tehrantimes.com (Yvonne Ridley) Yvonne Ridley Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:06:33 +0000 Kick racism off the pitch http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings/450-just-a-test http://www.tehrantimes.com/yvonne-writings/450-just-a-test
Racism is a repugnant trait and we should all adopt zero tolerance towards it, whenever and wherever it arises. 

It is a blight which still rears its ugly head during soccer matches but all the major organizations that police the ‘beautiful game’ these days are universal in their desire to kick racism off the pitch and out of the terraces. And there have been times when clubs, as well as players and their supporters, have been heavily penalized for failing to do so. 

FIFA President Sepp Blatter is probably the most senior and influential figure governing football today. He is one of the most versatile and experienced exponents of international sports diplomacy and is totally committed to serving football, FIFA, and the youth of the world. So it will be interesting to see how he reacts to my official complaint about a recent case of blatant racism which has been brought to my attention. 

The offenders this time appear to be players of Betar Jerusalem and among them also members of the Israeli national team who joined in the racist chants of the fans. 

This is written on the web site of the Israeli TV station Channel 2 and one can see there also the report about the incident at www.mako.co.il. 

On May 26, Channel 2 cameras photographed Betar players, among them the star Amit Ben Shoshan, singing very happily, after they won the Israeli cup, a song popular among their fans. 

A song that goes like this: “What’s Salim doing here? Don’t you know? What’s going on here I ask? Everywhere I hear that this is the land of Israel, Toama, this is the land of Israel. This is the land of Israel, Toama… I hate you Salim Toama! I hate all Arabs!” 

The chanting was directed at Salim Toama, who is an Arab soccer player with Israeli citizenship. He plays on the Israeli national team and is now making his living in Belgium. 

The international governing body of football, FIFA, in accordance with its anti-racism campaign, should ban Betar and the involved players from participating in any international activities as well as impose a heavy fine. 

This is not the first report on Betar racism. This club and especially its fans are considered to be the most racist in Israel. 

By the way, the whistleblower who brought this to my attention is a European Jew who is repulsed by any form of racism regardless of its origins, so any Zionists reading this can stop crying ‘anti-Semite’. 

Declaring to the world from a football pitch, from the terraces, or from anywhere else that “I hate all Arabs” is racist. And if you think it isn’t, then substitute Arab for any faith, skin color, or nationality and see how it sounds then. 

If you feel as offended as I do then lodge your complaint to Mr. Blatter at http://www.fifa.com/contact/validate.htm and urge FIFA to take action. 

And you can also complain to a British organization called Kick It Out, which is part of the Football Association’s campaign to stop racism from spoiling one of the greatest games in the world. Contact info@kickitout.org and let them know how you feel. 

This behavior is unacceptable and the Israeli football authorities, and this club in particular, should be severely penalized. If we are serious about kicking racism out of football no one should be exempt, not even the Israelis.
]]> info@tehrantimes.com (Yvonne Ridley) Yvonne Ridley Sun, 31 May 2009 10:46:28 +0000