Some 200 workers -- mostly Somali Muslims -- have been fired from a meat-packing plant in Colorado after staging a walkout to protest what they said were insufficient prayer accommodations, the Reuters website reports today (December 31, 2015).
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said the workers were treated in a "discriminatory manner" by managers at the Cargill Meat Solutions facility in Fort Morgan, about 75 miles northeast of Denver.
Jaylani Hussein -- a spokesman for CAIR -- said that the workers objected to new restrictions on their ability to worship on the job, "which they had been granted for a long period of time."
Mike Martin -- a spokesman for Minneapolis-based Cargill -- disputed assertions the company had changed its policy, noting that since 2009 the Fort Morgan plant has set aside an on-site "reflection area" for people of all faiths.
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Grand Jury Indicts Friend of Calif. Terror Killer; Hit with 5 Charges Including Terrorism Support
Enrique Marquez, who supplied his friend Syed Rizwan Farook with two assault rifles used to carry out the massacre in San Bernardino, California, was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday on five charges, including conspiring with Farook in an earlier plot, the NY Times website reports today (December 31, 2015).
Marquez, 24, was arrested two weeks ago and charged with similar crimes as those handed down in yesterday's indictment. The grand jury's action supersedes the previous charges and avoids the need for a preliminary hearing.
In addition to a charge of conspiring to provide material support to terrorism, he faces two charges of lying about the gun purchases and entering into a sham marriage with a Russian woman related to the Farook family through marriage.
Marquez has not been charged in the San Bernardino attack itself. Court papers say he was at work during the massacre.
Marquez, 24, was arrested two weeks ago and charged with similar crimes as those handed down in yesterday's indictment. The grand jury's action supersedes the previous charges and avoids the need for a preliminary hearing.
In addition to a charge of conspiring to provide material support to terrorism, he faces two charges of lying about the gun purchases and entering into a sham marriage with a Russian woman related to the Farook family through marriage.
Marquez has not been charged in the San Bernardino attack itself. Court papers say he was at work during the massacre.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Tex. Mosque Xmas Day Fire Set by Rel. Attendee; Accused Prayed at Mosque Every Day for 5 Years
The 37-year-old man who was arrested today (December 30, 2015) on suspicion of setting fire to a Houston mosque on Christmas Day attended the facility for five years and prayed there five times a day, according to the Daily Caller website.
Gary Nathaniel Moore was arrested this morning in connection with the incident. Moore had told investigators that he was the last person to leave the Savoy Masjid mosque on Christmas Day and that there were no signs of a fire at that time.
The mosque sustained $100,000 in damages. Eighty firefighters responded to the blaze, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Investigators fingered Moore after viewing surveillance videos from nearby businesses. A search of Moore's home yielded a backpack and clothing which matched the suspect in the surveillance videos. Investigators also recovered a lighter fluid bottle which matched the one recovered at the scene.
Gary Nathaniel Moore was arrested this morning in connection with the incident. Moore had told investigators that he was the last person to leave the Savoy Masjid mosque on Christmas Day and that there were no signs of a fire at that time.
The mosque sustained $100,000 in damages. Eighty firefighters responded to the blaze, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Investigators fingered Moore after viewing surveillance videos from nearby businesses. A search of Moore's home yielded a backpack and clothing which matched the suspect in the surveillance videos. Investigators also recovered a lighter fluid bottle which matched the one recovered at the scene.
Clinton:ISIS Committing Genocide on Christians; Pope Francis Has Also Called ISIS Acts Genocide
Hillary Clinton -- the leading candidate in the Democrat party for U.S. president -- said yesterday that ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) is committing genocide against Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East, the CNN website reports today (December 30, 2015).
"Yes. I will now call it genocide," Clinton said at a town hall gathering in Berlin, New Hampshire. "And I will because we have enough evidence [to prove ISIS is committing genocide]."
She added, "What is happening is genocide, deliberately aimed at destroying not only the lives but wiping out the existence of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East in territory controlled by ISIS."
Pope Francis also said recently that ISIS is waging a world war against Christians and that radical Muslims are committing genocide by their savage actions to destroy Christianity.
"Yes. I will now call it genocide," Clinton said at a town hall gathering in Berlin, New Hampshire. "And I will because we have enough evidence [to prove ISIS is committing genocide]."
She added, "What is happening is genocide, deliberately aimed at destroying not only the lives but wiping out the existence of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East in territory controlled by ISIS."
Pope Francis also said recently that ISIS is waging a world war against Christians and that radical Muslims are committing genocide by their savage actions to destroy Christianity.
OR Bakers Pay $135K for Not Making Gays a Cake; Refused to Bake Wedding Cake for Lesbian Couple
Oregon cake-makers who refused to bake a cake for a lesbian wedding have been fined $135,000 for their refusal, the Christian Headlines website reports today (December 30, 2015).
Aaron Klein, co-owner with his wife Melissa of the now-defunct Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Gresham, Oregon, refused to bake a cake for the wedding of lesbian couple Laurel and Rachel Bowman-Cryer, because doing so was against their religious beliefs.
Klein complied with the state's demands that his bakery pay for emotional suffering caused to the lesbians by his refusal to bake them a cake. He issued a check in the amount of $136,927.07, which includes interest.
An Oregon law -- enacted in 2007 -- protects the rights of homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgender people in employment, housing, and public accommodations. It is also illegal for private businesses to discriminate against customers.
Aaron Klein, co-owner with his wife Melissa of the now-defunct Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Gresham, Oregon, refused to bake a cake for the wedding of lesbian couple Laurel and Rachel Bowman-Cryer, because doing so was against their religious beliefs.
Klein complied with the state's demands that his bakery pay for emotional suffering caused to the lesbians by his refusal to bake them a cake. He issued a check in the amount of $136,927.07, which includes interest.
An Oregon law -- enacted in 2007 -- protects the rights of homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgender people in employment, housing, and public accommodations. It is also illegal for private businesses to discriminate against customers.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Man Is Guilty of Defacing Missouri Islamic Ctr.; Adam David Smock Also Burned 2 Koran Copies
A man pleaded guilty yesterday as part of a plea agreement, on federal criminal charges for defacing a Missouri Islamic center and burning two copies of the Koran nearly five years ago, the UPI website reports today (December 29, 2015).
Adam David Smock, 23, waived his right to a grand jury investigation and entered the guilty plea, which stems from a pair of incidents at the Islamic Center in Springfield, Missouri. Under the plea agreement, Smock is expected to be incarcerated for 14 days, followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
Justice officials said Smock and two others spray-painted graffiti on the center in January 2011 that contained hateful messages.
About three months after the first vandalism, Smock said he and the same two accomplices partially burned two copies of the Koran -- the holy book of the Muslim faith -- and placed them near the entrance to the Islamic Center. The books were accompanied by printed statements insulting Muslims, including "We vow one thing: Islam will not survive. Death to Islam!"
Adam David Smock, 23, waived his right to a grand jury investigation and entered the guilty plea, which stems from a pair of incidents at the Islamic Center in Springfield, Missouri. Under the plea agreement, Smock is expected to be incarcerated for 14 days, followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
Justice officials said Smock and two others spray-painted graffiti on the center in January 2011 that contained hateful messages.
About three months after the first vandalism, Smock said he and the same two accomplices partially burned two copies of the Koran -- the holy book of the Muslim faith -- and placed them near the entrance to the Islamic Center. The books were accompanied by printed statements insulting Muslims, including "We vow one thing: Islam will not survive. Death to Islam!"
Jewish Man Beaten, Robbed in NYC Orth. Area; Taken to Hospital, Got 70-80 Stitches on Head
In what appears to have been a hate crime as well as a robbery, a Jewish man was hospitalized after being beaten and robbed in a New York City neighborhood with a large Orthodox Jewish population, the JTA (Jewish Telegraphic Agency) website reports today (December 29, 2015).
The victim, 60, was walking down a residential street of single-family homes when a man came from behind, punched him at least four times and threw him to the sidewalk.
With the help of an accomplice, the assailant then stole the victim's iPhone and wallet. The victim was kicked in the head several times, before the assailant and his accomplice -- both wearing hoodies -- fled the scene in a black car driven by a third man.
Hatzalah -- the Jewish emergency rescue service -- took the victim to Maimonides Medical Center, where he was admitted in stable condition and received 70 to 80 stitches to his head.
The victim, 60, was walking down a residential street of single-family homes when a man came from behind, punched him at least four times and threw him to the sidewalk.
With the help of an accomplice, the assailant then stole the victim's iPhone and wallet. The victim was kicked in the head several times, before the assailant and his accomplice -- both wearing hoodies -- fled the scene in a black car driven by a third man.
Hatzalah -- the Jewish emergency rescue service -- took the victim to Maimonides Medical Center, where he was admitted in stable condition and received 70 to 80 stitches to his head.
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