by Salim Mansur Calgary Sun A young man is pinned to the ground, his head is twisted and a knife held against his throat. In a few minutes the head is severed and held up for display to the public chanting loudly, "Allahu Akbar" (God is great). The video of this gruesome public execution of an apostate — the victim had converted to Christianity from Islam — somewhere in … [Read more...]

by Daniel E. Rogell Investigative Project on Terrorism The beheading of a young Christian convert in Tunisia raises questions about a wave of religious radicalism sweeping the Middle East, writes Islamic affairs expert Raymond Ibrahim for Gatestone Institute. The rise of Quranic literalists in Arab governments and as vigilantes means that "blasphemers" are now risking death or … [Read more...]

by Douglas Murray The Spectator Back in November I wrote a cover story for The Spectator arguing that the trend in North Africa for those countries which had thrown off their dictators appeared to be more in the direction of Winter than that of Spring. Since then there have been many developments, including the first round of the Egyptian Presidential elections where the field … [Read more...]

by Ivana Kvesic Christian Post Mohammed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate competing against Ahmed Shafiq in a runoff election to become Egypt's first elected president in 60 years, has allegedly said that the Coptic Christian population should "convert, pay tribute, or leave" the predominantly Muslim country. The Egyptian news website El Bashayer quoted the presidential … [Read more...]

by Dan Pine J-Weekly Raymond Ibrahim does not believe the persecution of religious minorities throughout the Muslim world today is an aberration. The aberration, he says, was the previous 100 years of relative calm. "What we're seeing now in [Muslim] nations is more in keeping with history," said the Middle East historian, lecturer and journalist. Ibrahim, a U.S.-born … [Read more...]