A teenage girl who ran away from her Vienna home to join Isis in Syria has reportedly been beaten to death by the group after trying to escape.

Samra Kesinovic, 17, travelled to Syria last year with her friend Sabina Selimovic, 15.

The two became a ‘poster girl’ for Isis, also known as Islamic State, appearing on social media websites in images showing them carrying Kalashnikovs and surrounded by armed men.

But by October that year there were reports quoting friends of the two women saying Ms Kesinovic had been sickened by the killings she witnessed and wanted to come home.

According to local Austrian media Ms Kesinovic was murdered by the group as she tried to flee the Isis stronghold of Raqqa.

One report quotes an “insider”, an unnamed Tunisian woman who reportedly also travelled to Syria to join Isis lived with the two girls while in Raqqa, but later returned home.

The Austrian foreign and interiror ministries declined to confirm the reports.

A report last year by David Scharia, a UN counter-terrorism expert, that a 15-year-old girl of Bosnian origin from Austria who had joined Isis had “disappeared” is now thought to refer to Ms Kesinovic.

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Mr Scharia said: “We received information just recently about two 15-year-old girls, of Bosnian origin, who left Austria, where they had been living in recent years …one was killed in the fighting in Syria, the other has disappeared.”

Both Ms Kesinovic and Ms Selimovic were children of Bosnian refugees who fled to Austria in the nineties to escape the war in their country.

In April 2014 the two travelled, via Turkey, to Syria where it is believed they both married Jihadists.

The Austrian authorities have accused a Vienna-based Bosnian Islamic preacher known as Abu Tejda – named as Mirsad O under Austrian privacy laws – of recruiting the woman.

He denies the accusation.

Patriotism paradox: NRIs chasing wealth abroad are heroes, Indians fleeing hate are traitors
It’s okay for the prime minister to be celebrated by a stadium full of British citizens who believe India is too filthy and corrupt to live in. It isn’t okay for an Indian to say that his family feels vulnerable as a religious minority.

Aamir Khan and his wife, Kiran Rao are not the only ones to have wondered if they should leave the country because they feel vulnerable and worried for their child’s future, because of the religious nationalism and the bigotry that attends it. But they are perhaps the only ones with a public profile to say this out loud.

Over the last two decades, cycles of communal violence and freely expressed religious chauvinism have made many people wonder the same thing. Since the early 1990s, I have seen friends and acquaintances deal with this dilemma: should they stay in India which is home or should they up sticks, and try and make good in a foreign country so their children do not have to live surrounded by suspicion and hate?

The decision not to leave home has meant that over the last 20 years families have had to protect their children from a society that is increasingly divided and strident with its prejudices, without letting them lose their sense of belonging in their own country because they feel vulnerable as members of a religious minority.

From explaining why prospective landlords refuse to rent once they find out the family is Muslim, battling school teachers (even at some of Delhi’s poshest schools) who assume that a child supports terrorism and the Pakistan cricket team because she is a Muslim, attacks on meat shops and meat eaters, to politicians who assert that India is a Hindu nation, there is a minefield of prejudice that parents have to teach their children to negotiate.

Skipping out

Unlike the Indians who contemplate leaving because they are made to feel vulnerable by prejudice fed on an ideology of religious nationalism, folk from Gujarat and Punjab have been fleeing the country for decades, by means fair or foul. India, they say, is not worth living in and does not offer them opportunities to fulfill their potential. People are so desperate to leave these two very prosperous states that families voluntarily suffer long-term separations or bankruptcy in the hope that eventually an entire extended family will be able to immigrate to the US, Canada, the UK or just anywhere in Europe.

On a flight out of the country earlier this year, the soft-spoken gent in the seat next to mine with a perfectly tied turban turned out to be a recently retired Indian army soldier en route to Canada where he hoped to make a new life. He was travelling on a three-month tourist visa leaving behind a wife and school going children, and agricultural land in Punjab. His plan was to overstay his visa firm in the belief that in a couple of years Canada would magnanimously convert him from illegal immigrant to valued citizen and reunite him with his family. The risk that this might not happen was one he felt was worth taking to secure his children’s future outside India. Many who hope to make this journey in Punjab have stickers on their cars of aircraft in flight with an arrow pointing to Toronto or Vancouver.

In London, I frequently met Gujaratis, some of them distant kinsman from Gujarat’s prosperous Kheda region, who had arrived leaving not unhappy situations. These were people of means – with homes or irrigated agricultural land or assets in other forms. They usually had some education and had been employed. The ones who had not got visas, had borrowed cast sums to pay human traffickers to transport them via four or five different countries on boats, trucks and aircraft. They said that a few years of working on low wages under the radar would give them and their children a better life.

Wembley jamboree

These former Indians, who have fled the country in search of greater prosperity, are lionised. No one questions their love for the country. They are “overseas citizens of India”. Many of them will have been in Wembley stadium on November 13 to cheer Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Aamir Khan and his wife also want a better life for their child. The difference is that, for them, a better life means not feeling vulnerable as a religious or cultural minority. People, politicians and fellow actors unhappy with what Aamir Khan has said have asked him to stay and fight to prove that he is a true patriot, accused him of being part of a conspiracy against the nation or to go to Saudi Arabia

What Aamir Khan’s critics are saying is that it’s okay for the prime minister to celebrate and be celebrated by a stadium full of British citizens who believe India is too filthy, corrupt and poor to live in, but that it’s not okay for an Indian to say that he and his family feel vulnerable as a religious or cultural minority. That it’s okay to want more money, or other forms of fulfillment with citizenship of another country, but its not okay for an Indian to wonder, in desperation, if he should leave because he wants a life for his child that’s free of fear and religious hate.

Their message is simple: It is laudable to want to prosper materially, but it is un-Indian and anti-national to want your child not to live with religious bigotry and cultural violence.

By: Anjali Mody

News24 Bureau New Delhi:Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan faced flak from BJP leaders for his remarks on intolerance in the country, with the members of the saffron party linking his statement to a “deep political controversy”. Union minister Kiren Rijju said that Khan’s comment tarnish the image of the nation, while BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said that ‘Incredible India’ is a tolerant nation and one view does not change that, the Economic Timeswrote. BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain unleashed a counter attack on Khan saying, “Where will Aamir and his family go other than India? There is no other better country like India and no better neighbour than a Hindu for an Indian Muslim. What is the situation in Muslim countries and Europe. There is intolerance everywhere.” Aamir was however defended in equal measure by Congress and some other political parties, which said that the government should not brand its critics as unpatriotic and threaten them for “speaking the
truth”.

Shielding him from the attack, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said the government should instead of branding all those who question it and the Prime Minister as “unpatriotic, anti national or motivated” reach out to people to understand what’s disturbing them. “That’s the way to solve problems in India- not by bullying, threatening & abusing!” Gandhi said, a view that was shared by CPM leader Sitaram Yechury.

(25 Nov) Turkey and Russia have long been at loggerheads over the Syrian conflict, with Ankara seeking Assad’s overthrow while Moscow does everything to keep him in power. Ankara : NATO member Turkey shot down a Russian war plane on the Syrian border on Tuesday, an act President Vladimir Putin denounced as a “stab in the back” by “accomplices of terrorists” as tensions spiraled between the two rival players in the Syria war. The Russian Sukhoi Su-24 jet was shot down by Turkish F-16 fighter planes after it allegedly violated the country’s air space and ignored ‘ten warnings in the space of five minutes’, army officials said. The assertion was backed up by Turkey’s NATO ally the United States. However, Russia’s Ministry of Defence claims the jet was in Syrian airspace, and was shot down from the ground. Turkey has called an extraordinary meeting of NATO while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he had scrapped a planned trip to Turkey aimed at narrowing differences on the By
Syria conflict.

Turkish television pictures showed the Su-24 exploding and crashing in a ball of flames into a Syrian mountain and two pilots parachuting to the ground after ejecting. Their fate was uncertain, with reports that one had been killed. The incident was the first of its kind since Russia launched air strikes in Syria in September in support of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, causing concern in the West over a possible clash with US-led coalition planes also in the skies. Footage reportedly filmed by rebels in Syria’s Turko-men Mountains, an area which has been the cause of recent tensions between Turkey and Russia, shows local fighters cheer as they uncover the body of one of the Russian pilots. The men can be seen surrounding the corpse of the pilot, wearing Russian military fatigues, shouting ‘Allahu Akbar.’ Putin branded the shooting down of the aircraft as a “stab in the back by accomplices of terrorists”. He said oil from jihadist-controlled territory was being exported through Turkey while funds were flowing back, and warned: “The tragic event will have serious consequences for Russian-Turkish relations.” Putin said the plane fell in Syrian territory four km from the border and “did not in any way threaten Turkey”. The Turkish army said the downing took place over the Hatay province on the border with Syria. “The plane violated Turkish air space 10 times in five minutes despite warnings,” it said in a statement, adding that it was shot down “according to the rules of engagement”. Its version was backed up by the US military which said Turkish pilots had issued 10 warnings without response. Russia summoned the Turkish military attache in Moscow while Ankara summoned Moscow’s charge d’affaires to the foreign ministry. “Everyone must know that it is our international right and national duty to take any measure against whoever violates our air or land borders,” Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.

The incident came as Russian and Syrian jets are waging a heavy bombing campaign against targets in northern Syria while the US-led coalition continues its own air strikes. Turkey has expressed anger at the operation, saying it is aimed at buttressing the Syrian regime and has displaced thousands of Turkmen Syrians, an ethnic minority in the area and strong allies of Ankara. Russia however insists its strikes are aimed against Islamic State jihadists. European Union President Donald Tusk warned of a “dangerous moment”, saying “all should remain cool headed and calm.” Turkey and Russia have long been at loggerheads over the Syrian conflict, with Ankara seeking Assad’s overthrow while Moscow does everything to keep him in power. The Turkish military in October also shot down a Russian-made drone that had entered its airspace. But Moscow denied the drone belonged to its forces. The shoot down occurred as Russia and the West were slowly edging toward some manner of understanding to unite forces to confront the Islamic State in the wake of the bloody terrorist attacks in Paris and the downing of a Russian charter flight over Egypt that combined killed 354 people. There is a lot of oil coming to Turkey from ISIS territory. And some of these military groups get their financing from there. And now they stab us in the back; they hit our planes that are fighting terrorism.

(25 Nov) On early hours of Wednesday, a group of terrorists attacked an army post at Tangdhar near LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district. More than 3 militants, and they are most probably fidayeens -Ajaz Ahmed,SSP Kupwara. . An army officer and a civilian killed in the operation. The official said it was not yet clear whether the militants were part of infiltrating group. “That is a matter of investigation. We can comment on it only after the operation is over,” he added. Tangdhar sector is close to the LoC in Kupwara district and has been used as an infiltration route in the past.

The official said the militants seem to be heavily armed as they used small fire arms and UBGLs to carry out the attack. Army official said, there was a brief lull before the militants opened fire again, triggering off a gunbattle, which was going on till last reports came in. No casualties have been reported so far. “There was a stand off fire from Kalsuri Ridge (in Tangdhar sector) towards an army camp this morning,” an army official said. Militants attacked using small arms and under barrel grenade launchers. More reinforcements have been sent towards the area. Officials said that two to three militants attacked an army camp of 1/3 GR at Kalsuri. A senior officer said some militants have been seen near the camp. Army’s Quick Action Team Responded the attack. Unidentified militants attacked an army camp near the Line of Control in Tanghdar in Kupwara sector. Heavy firing and blasts are going near the camp.

Los Angeles, Nov 23: Singer Taylor Swift, who garnered appreciation this year for her fifth studio album “1989”, clinched key honours at the American Music Awards 2015 by winning three awards. She won the Song of the Year, Favorite Pop/Rock Album and Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist trophies. Hosted by singer-actress Jennifer Lopez, the awards show took place here at the Microsoft Theatre on Sunday, reports variety.com. The other big winner of the night was British boyband One Direction, which received the trophy for Artist of the Year and the Favourite Duo or Group – Pop/Rock. While the Favourite Male Artist – Soul/R&B went to singer The Weeknd, singer Nicki Minaj took home the trophy for Favourite Artist – Rap/Hip-Hop.

The Favourite Artist – Alternative Rock honour was taken by American rock band Fall Out Boy. Music producer Skrillex and DJ Diplo’s single “Where are u now”, featuring singer Justin Bieber, won the award for the best Collaboration of the Year,unleashed by T-Mobile. Singers Carrie Underwood and Ariana Grande took home the awards for the Favourite Female Artist – Country and the Favourite Female Artist – Pop/Rock. Also, Sam Hunt was named New Artist of the Year; Minaj’s album “The Pinkprint” won the Favourite Album – Rap/Hip-Hop; filmmaker Elizabeth Banks’s 2015 musical comedy film “Pitch Perfect 2” won the Top Soundtrack award; singer Luke Bryan won for Favourite Male Artist – Country; and The Weeknd’s “Beauty Behind the Madness” album was named Favourite Album – Soul/R&B. British singer Ed Sheeran clinched the trophy for Favourite Male Artist – Pop/Rock, while, singer Rihanna won the Favourite Female Artist – Soul/R&B award. Also amongst the winners were Enrique Iglesias and Calvin Harris, who won Favourite Artist – Latin and Favourite Artist – Electronic Dance Music (EDM).

(24 Nov) London : Mali police have showed images of two dead men who they claimed were the “authors” of the attack on the Radisson Blu hotel in the capital Bamako. According to The Guardian, the pictures on Mali state television were of two young black men, one of them lying on a metal gurney. The police have appealed for those with information about the men to come forward. Twenty people plus two gunmen died in Friday’s attack on the Radisson Blu hotel. The victims included six Russians, three Chinese, an American, a Belgian, a Senegalese and an Israeli. Jihadist group Al Mourabitoun and al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Dreaded terrorist group ISIS does not consider South Asian Muslims, including Indians, good enough to fight in conflict zone of Iraq and Syria and treated as inferior than Arab fighters but often tricks them and push into suicide attacks.

According to an intelligence report prepared by foreign agencies and shared with Indian agencies, fighters from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh as well as certain countries like Nigeria and Sudan are considered inferior to Arab fighters. There appears to be clear hierarchy wherein the Arab fighters are preferred as officer cadre and provided better arms and ammunition, equipment, accommodation and salaries.

“The fighters from South Asia are usually housed in groups in small barracks and are paid less than the Arab fighters and are provided inferior equipment,” the input says.

There are reports that the so-called inferior fighters are also, at times, tricked into suicide attacks. Usually they are given a vehicle loaded with explosives and asked to go near a targeted destination and call a certain number, who would purportedly come and meet them to explain the mission. However, as soon as the number is dialled, the car explodes due to a pre-set mechanism aimed at destroying a specific target.

A total of 23 Indians have so far joined the ISIS of which six reportedly killed in different incidents. The dead are: Athif Vaseem Mohammad (Adilabad, Telangana), Mohammad Umar Subhan (Bangalore, Karnataka), Maulana Abdul Kadir Sultan Armar (Bhatkal, Karnataka), Saheem Farooque Tanki (Thane, Maharashtra), Faiz Masood (Bangalore, Karnataka) and Mohammad Sajid alias Bada Sajid (Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh).

The intelligence report suggests that there is a disproportionately high level of casualty among the South Asian and African foreign terrorist fighters since they are forced to the frontlines of battle as foot soldiers.

The Arab fighters with better battle experience are mostly positioned behind these fighters and hence their casualties are proportionally less in terms of their total numbers. This explains why so many Indians from a small Indian contingent have died, it says.

The intelligence report says there is information that foreign fighters of Chinese, Indian, Nigerian and Pakistani origin are housed together and are monitored closely by the ISIS Police. Incidentally, only Tunisian, Palestinian, Saudi Arabian, Iraqi and Syrian are allowed to be in the ISIS Police force, which is barred for fighters of all other nationalities. Hence, there is a clear trust deficit between the dominant Arab fighters from other nationalities, who are mostly attracted to ISIS through its sophisticated propaganda techniques on the Internet.

There is also information, the intelligence input suggests, that the ISIS considers Islam, as it is practised in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh .., as apostate and a departure from the original teachings of Quran and Hadith, which makes them less motivated towards Salafist Jihad. Hence, there are authentic reports of brain washing of fresh recruits from South Asia and certain other countries by invoking the fear of ‘Jinn’, which are considered supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology, the intelligence input says.

The fear of ‘Jinn’ is invoked to ensure that the recruits from these countries do not return to their countries of origin on the premise that the ‘Jinn’ will continue to haunt them for the rest of their lives if they do so. Further, passports of foreign terrorist fighters from South Asia and certain African countries are usually burnt upon their arrival in Iraq-Syria to prevent them going back to their countries.

Two laboureres, both in their sixties, died on Monday at two closed tea gardens in North Bengal, a police officer said.

The deaths occurred at Nageshwari tea garden and Bagrakote tea garden, both of which have been closed for nine months, and the cause was attributed to illness, the officer said.

Sukra Manki Munda (65) died at Nageshwari tea garden this morning. Family members said he had been sick for a while and had died of malnutrition and lack of treatment.

Another labourer, Sibu Pradhan (66) also died at Bagrakote tea garden today. He too had been ill for several months and was suffering from malnutrition, his family members said.

The Joint Forum of Labour Unions of the tea gardens said both the gardens belonged to the Duncan group. All the 16 tea gardens of the group in North Bengal had been closed for the last nine months, they said.

A spokesman of the Joint Forum, Zia ul Alam of CITU said there was no water and electricity in the closed gardens and the labourers had no money to buy food or medicine.

He blamed the state government of being indifferent to the plight of the workers.

The district administration, however, claimed that they were supplying rice to the workers at Rs.2 per kg.