Muslim convert held in US for plot to blow up building

October 10th, 2009 NEW YORK - Investigations being carried out into the massive Al-Qaeda backed bombing plot has revealed that Najibullah Zazi, the airport shuttle bus driver arrested earlier, had traveled to Pakistan with another two men, Zarein Ahmedzay, and Adis Medunjanin. The two men, one of whom attended Flushing High School with Zazi, have denied their involved with the Al Qaeda, saying they didn't have any role in the bombing plot.

October 2nd, 2009 TORONTO - A Canadian Muslim, who was part of the 18-member terrorist plot to carry out mayhem in Canada three years ago, was Friday jailed for seven years. A court in the Indian-dominated city of Brampton on the outskirts of Toronto sentenced Ali Mohamed Dirie, 26, for his role in the so-called Toronto-18 terror plot.

September 29th, 2009 Subject: Indian among 23 Christians killed in Nepal church collapse 1sud30 Nepal-Religion/Society Indian among 23CHRISTIANS KILLED IN NEPAL CHURCH COLLAPSE KATHMANDU - A get-together during the festive season in Nepal turned into a stark tragedy early Wednesday morning when 23 Christians, including an Indian, were crushed to death in a church instituted by an Indian convert in eastern Nepal. Most of the victims were women who died when a three-storey bamboo structure, built to accommodate Protestant Christians of the El Shaddai sect who had congregated in the Zion Prayer Hall in Dharan town in eastern Nepal?s Sunsari district, gave way around 12.30am.

September 29th, 2009 KATHMANDU - A get-together during the festive season in Nepal turned to stark tragedy early Wednesday when 23 Christians, including an Indian, were crushed to death in a church instituted by an Indian convert in eastern Nepal. Most of the victims were women who died when a three-storey bamboo structure, built to accommodate Protestant Christians of the El Shaddai sect in Dharan town in eastern Nepal's Sunsari district, gave way around 12.30 a.m.

September 25th, 2009 In 2 bomb cases, FBI let sting operation play outCHICAGO — As Hosam Maher Husein Smadi prepared to remotely detonate what he believed was a powerful bomb underneath a Dallas skyscraper, his comrade-in-arms, who was actually an undercover FBI agent, offered him earplugs, authorities say. Smadi declined.

September 24th, 2009 CHICAGO - An American convert to Islam was Thursday charged with a plot to blow up the court building in Springfield, Illinois and trigger mass murder. Michael Finton, who converted to Islam in jail some time ago to become Talib Islam, was arrested Wednesday after an undercover operation which began in 2007.

September 13th, 2009 LONDON - An alleged co-plotter of transatlantic airliners bombing plot is roaming free on British streets. Security sources have expressed serious concern about the activities of the 28-year-old man who is now living in Birmingham with his family.

September 12th, 2009 LONDON - British Muslim fanatics have issued fresh warnings of impending terrorist attacks in the country and claimed that volunteers are ready to follow three British Muslims convicted of conspiring to blow up planes with bottles of explosives. Earlier, British airport security staff and police had foiled a plot to blow up airliners, and arrested three men -Abdullah Ahmed Ali, Tanvir Hussein and Assad Sarwar.

August 12th, 2009 Orlando (Florida, US), - An Ohio Muslim teenager has said that she ran away from her home to Florida because her family threatened to kill her for converting from Islam to Christianity. Rifqa Bary, 17, testified earlier this week at a custody hearing in Orlando that she'd recently changed religions and is worried her relatives will do something drastic, according to WFTV in Orlando and Central Florida News 13.

July 7th, 2009 KUALA LUMPUR - The row over Malaysian art director Mohan Singh's religion following his death has led to a judge observing that there is "inadequacy" in the law over non-Muslims converting to Islam. Judge Rosnaini Saub made this observation Monday while giving the ruling that Mohan Singh was a Muslim when he died and should be buried as per the Islamic custom.

July 2nd, 2009 QUETTA - The Pakistani Police Thursday foiled a plan to blow up the Quetta Express by terrorists, a media report said. Explosives were placed on a railway track in the Saryab area of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, the Online news agency said citing police sources.

June 23rd, 2009 RANCHI - Maoists blew up a village council building in Jharkhand's Palamau district Tuesday, police said. The building was empty at the time.

June 12th, 2009 IPOH - A Malaysian expert of Islamic studies has said Islam should not be forced upon a child or a minor because a call to Islam is a conscious submission. Addressing a discussion titled, "Crisis in Religious Thinking", Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (Ikim) director-general Dr Syed Ali Tawfik Al-Attas said the ability to think is a major factor for a non-Muslim to decide whether to become a Muslim.

April 25th, 2009 LONDON - US President Barack Obama's step-grandmother in Kenya has found supporters in Muslims and Christians, who have fallen into a row with the former accusing the latter of trying to convert the 87-year-old to Christianity. Sarah Obama, who has been at the centre of spotlight in the country ever since her grandson bagged the top job, had been invited to attend an event at a Seventh Day Adventist Church.

April 22nd, 2009 LONDON - The British Government has been accused of dishonourable behaviour after nine Pakistanis out of 11 arrested in Easter terror raids were released without any charge. The Government said it would not be prosecuting the nine, but still wanted to deport them, following their apprehension in Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Lancashire earlier this month, The Telegraph reported.