Example CURRENT COURT CASE
Bakr Hamad, 38, of Hull, Sharif Kadir, 52, of Sheffield, Zana Rahim, 32, of Derby and Awat Hamasalih, 33, of Birmingham, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday.
All four refused to consent to extradition when appearing in court
Suspects were also arrested in Italy and Norway, while authorities in Italy, Germany, Finland, Norway, Switzerland and the UK also searched a total of 26 properties.
It is all down to Mullah Krekar who came toNorway as a refugee from northern Iraq in 1991.
Krekar was the original leader of the Islamist armed group Ansar al-Islam, which was set up and commenced operations in Kurdistan while he had refugee status in Norway.
They can't get him out of Norway (Since February 2003 he has an expulsion order against him, which is suspended pending Iraqi government guarantees that he will not face torture or execution. Norway is committed to international treaties which prohibit the expulsion of an individual without such a guarantee)
On March 26, 2012 he was sentenced to 5 years in prison for making repeated death threats against Norwegian politicians and kurds if they pursued certain civil actions against him. He has appealed this prison sentence. The next day, March 27, 2012, he was arrested by the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) and Norwegian Police and taken into protective custody and incarceration. This occurred after certain additional statements of a threatening nature were linked to him, suggesting that others might take retaliatory actions against Norwegians if his civil prison sentence were implemented.
Bakr Hamad, 38, of Hull, Sharif Kadir, 52, of Sheffield, Zana Rahim, 32, of Derby and Awat Hamasalih, 33, of Birmingham, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday.
All four refused to consent to extradition when appearing in court
Suspects were also arrested in Italy and Norway, while authorities in Italy, Germany, Finland, Norway, Switzerland and the UK also searched a total of 26 properties.
It is all down to Mullah Krekar who came toNorway as a refugee from northern Iraq in 1991.
Krekar was the original leader of the Islamist armed group Ansar al-Islam, which was set up and commenced operations in Kurdistan while he had refugee status in Norway.
They can't get him out of Norway (Since February 2003 he has an expulsion order against him, which is suspended pending Iraqi government guarantees that he will not face torture or execution. Norway is committed to international treaties which prohibit the expulsion of an individual without such a guarantee)
On March 26, 2012 he was sentenced to 5 years in prison for making repeated death threats against Norwegian politicians and kurds if they pursued certain civil actions against him. He has appealed this prison sentence. The next day, March 27, 2012, he was arrested by the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) and Norwegian Police and taken into protective custody and incarceration. This occurred after certain additional statements of a threatening nature were linked to him, suggesting that others might take retaliatory actions against Norwegians if his civil prison sentence were implemented.
[h=2]The Syrian passports to terror: EIGHT migrants have got into Europe with the same false papers as those found on stadium suicide bomber[/h]
A suicide bomber who died outside the Stade de France with a passport in the name of Ahmad Almohammad, is almost identical to papers carried by eight migrants as they entered Europe. Serbian police revealed they had arrested a man carrying a Syrian passport which was almost a carbon copy of the one found on the IS bomber's corpse on Friday. It had the same name, date of birth and place of birth. The only difference was the photograph.[h=1]Turkey fans BOO during pre-match minute's silence for the victims of Paris attacks and chant 'Allahu Akhbar' before friendly against Greece[/h]
PUBLISHED: 22:05, 17 November 2015 | UPDATED: 01:32, 18 November 2015
Chants of 'Allahu Akbar' were reportedly heard in Istanbul as some Turkey fans shamefully booed a pre-match minute's silence for the victims of the Paris attacks.
The friendly itself against Greece was largely forgettable as the action finished 0-0 at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium.
But the game was tarnished before it even started as a video emerged suggesting some of the Turkish faithful were voicing their dissent towards tributes for the 129 victims who were killed in last Friday's atrocities in Paris.
Scroll down for video
+10
Turkey's players observed a minute of silence to honour the victims of the Paris terror attacks prior to their match with Greece
+10
Chants of 'Allahu Akbar' - the Islamic phrase meaning 'God is greater' - were reportedly heard from the crowd during the tribute
+10
Turkish supporters waved a plethora of national flags at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium in Istanbul on Tuesday
+10
Turkey manager Fatih Terim (left) was quoted as saying: 'Our fans should have behaved during the one minute silence'
- Turkey fans were heard booing during the minute's silence for the victims of the Paris attacks before kick-off
- Chants of 'Allahu Akbar' - the Islamic phrase meaning 'God is greater' - were reportedly heard in Istanbul
- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu watched the game together
- It was the first time the two teams met for eight years and the Turkish Football Federation announced a string of additional security measures - the neighbours' relationship has suffered from hostilities in the past
- Fatih Terim's side were held to a goalless draw by Michael Skibbe's visitors at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium
PUBLISHED: 22:05, 17 November 2015 | UPDATED: 01:32, 18 November 2015
Chants of 'Allahu Akbar' were reportedly heard in Istanbul as some Turkey fans shamefully booed a pre-match minute's silence for the victims of the Paris attacks.
The friendly itself against Greece was largely forgettable as the action finished 0-0 at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium.
But the game was tarnished before it even started as a video emerged suggesting some of the Turkish faithful were voicing their dissent towards tributes for the 129 victims who were killed in last Friday's atrocities in Paris.
Scroll down for video
+10
Turkey's players observed a minute of silence to honour the victims of the Paris terror attacks prior to their match with Greece
+10
Chants of 'Allahu Akbar' - the Islamic phrase meaning 'God is greater' - were reportedly heard from the crowd during the tribute
+10
Turkish supporters waved a plethora of national flags at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium in Istanbul on Tuesday
+10
Turkey manager Fatih Terim (left) was quoted as saying: 'Our fans should have behaved during the one minute silence'
And yet, AT THAT TIME the American public got it all wrong. Militarily we eventually did intercede in WW2 but we were late. I'd bet American public opinion may have played a hand in that as well. Millions of people were murdered by this sicko nazi regime.
And now we have Syria. First the dictator starts a mass slaughter. Obama postures, then does nothing. Thousands are killed, thousands flee. Native Syrians who remain to fight are slaughtered. Who fills the vacuum? A caliphate!
Thousands more flee. We shouldn't be having this problem. But we didn't act. Now the refugees are everyone's problem. And how many of them are ISIS? And how many of them are fleeing ISIS?
Everyone in this room has a simple solution to the complex issues of geopolitics.
Sometimes Scottstein thinks outside the box.
I agree with you on one thing for sure Willie - We both know who the least prepared man in the room is.
Of course I don't say that, and Bernie is wrong about that, IMO, and a fact checking site. But keep lying Ghost, it's what you do best besides sucking Cock. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-m...hecking-bernie-sanders-comments-climate-chan/What would you expect from a Bernie brown noser?
"Climate change created the ISIS"
Love it! Say it louder!k:
Wake up idiots.
Stop been soft hearted Simpletons. It is not about the feel good factor of doing a good turn.
It is so simple.
This principle comes first.
What is best for our Country.
Is is best for our country to take in Syrian refugees.
The answer is no. Taking in Syrian refugees is no benefit.
Stop been soft hearted Simpletons. It is not about the feel good factor of doing a good turn.
It is so simple.
This principle comes first.
What is best for our Country.
Is is best for our country to take in Syrian refugees.
The answer is no. Taking in Syrian refugees is no benefit.
There was a Jewish Brigade in the British Army in the Second World War.
[FONT=Source Sans Pro, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]The Jewish Infantry Brigade Group (more commonly known as the Jewish Brigade Group or Jewish Brigade) was a military formation of the British Army composed of Jews from the Yishuv in Mandatory Palestine commanded by British-Jewish officers that served in Europe during World War II. The brigade was formed in late 1944, and its personnel fought the Germans in Italy. After the war, some of them assisted Holocaust survivors to emigrate illegally tomMandatory Palestine as part of Aliyah Bet.[/FONT]
[FONT=Source Sans Pro, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Any signs of a Muslim brigade in the USA or UK, to go fight Islamic terrorists.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Source Sans Pro, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]The Jewish Infantry Brigade Group (more commonly known as the Jewish Brigade Group or Jewish Brigade) was a military formation of the British Army composed of Jews from the Yishuv in Mandatory Palestine commanded by British-Jewish officers that served in Europe during World War II. The brigade was formed in late 1944, and its personnel fought the Germans in Italy. After the war, some of them assisted Holocaust survivors to emigrate illegally tomMandatory Palestine as part of Aliyah Bet.[/FONT]
[FONT=Source Sans Pro, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Any signs of a Muslim brigade in the USA or UK, to go fight Islamic terrorists.
[/FONT]
[h=1]United in grief... and defiance: England stands shoulder to shoulder with France in emotional night at Wembley as fans, players and royalty put on show of support after Paris atrocities[/h]Turkey fans BOO during pre-match minute's silence for the victims of Paris attacks and chant 'Allahu Akhbar' before friendly against Greece
By ECE TOKSABAY, REUTERS
- Turkey fans were heard booing during the minute's silence for the victims of the Paris attacks before kick-off
- Chants of 'Allahu Akbar' - the Islamic phrase meaning 'God is greater' - were reportedly heard in Istanbul
- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu watched the game together
- It was the first time the two teams met for eight years and the Turkish Football Federation announced a string of additional security measures - the neighbours' relationship has suffered from hostilities in the past
- Fatih Terim's side were held to a goalless draw by Michael Skibbe's visitors at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium
PUBLISHED: 22:05, 17 November 2015 | UPDATED: 01:32, 18 November 2015
Chants of 'Allahu Akbar' were reportedly heard in Istanbul as some Turkey fans shamefully booed a pre-match minute's silence for the victims of the Paris attacks.
The friendly itself against Greece was largely forgettable as the action finished 0-0 at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium.
But the game was tarnished before it even started as a video emerged suggesting some of the Turkish faithful were voicing their dissent towards tributes for the 129 victims who were killed in last Friday's atrocities in Paris.
Scroll down for video
+10
Turkey's players observed a minute of silence to honour the victims of the Paris terror attacks prior to their match with Greece
+10
Chants of 'Allahu Akbar' - the Islamic phrase meaning 'God is greater' - were reportedly heard from the crowd during the tribute
+10
Turkish supporters waved a plethora of national flags at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium in Istanbul on Tuesday
+10
Turkey manager Fatih Terim (left) was quoted as saying: 'Our fans should have behaved during the one minute silence'
- More than 70,000 fans joined Prince William and David Cameron for rousing rendition of La Marseillaise at Wembley
- Supporters came together in a poignant display of solidarity as England and France went head-to-head in a friendly
- England won the match 2-0 with the help of goals from Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli and captain Wayne Rooney
- Wembley arch was lit up in the French tricolore while words to the French national anthem were shown on a screen
- Security for the game was heightened with SAS units patrolling 90,000-seater stadium, with 5,000 troops on standby
- Prince William said the game was 'powerful message of Britain's friendship' while David Cameron also in the stands
- Elsewhere friendly between Germany and Holland was cancelled tonight after suspicious object found at stadium
- France coach Didier Deschamps later revealed he did not tell his players about the postponed game before kick-off
PUBLISHED: 10:13, 17 November 2015 | UPDATED: 01:47, 18 November 2015
Tens of thousands of defiant England and France fans were joined by Prince William for a rousing rendition of the French national anthem as a packed Wembley crowd showed their support for victims of the Paris terror attacks on Tuesday evening.
More than 70,000 football fans - including Jeremy Corbyn, Boris Johnson and David Cameron - came together in a poignant display of solidarity as the two nations went head-to-head in the most high-security football match in British history, just four days after the atrocities in the French capital.
Prince William took to the Wembley pitch with England manager Roy Hodgson and French coach Didier Deschamps to lay floral tributes ahead of the national anthems.
Fans on both sides then sang La Marseillaise before an impeccably-observed minute's silence was held on a moving night in North London. The French players, including Lassana Diarra - whose cousin was one of the Paris victims - linked arms as the teams lined up to sing the anthems.
In a show of unity, English and French players then stood together for a moment of applause, while fans held up coloured sheets of paper to display a huge French flag. The emotional occasion was too much for one French supporter as he was pictured wiping away tears.
England won the match 2-0 thanks to goals from Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli and captain Wayne Rooney.
Scroll down for videos
+100
Tribute: Prince William took to the Wembley pitch with England manager Roy Hodgson (left) and French coach Didier Deschamps (right) to lay floral tributes ahead of the international friendly between England and France at Wembley Stadium this evening
+100
+100
The emotional occasion saw one French fan break down as a rousing rendition of the French national anthem was sung at Wembley
+100
Circle of solidarity: Players came together for an impeccably-observed minute's silence to remember those killed in the Paris attacks
+100
Wembley's salute to France: Fans on both sides gave a rousing rendition of the French national anthem La Marseillaise as a packed crowd showed their support for victims of the Paris terror attacks. Supporters also held up sheets of coloured paper to make the French flag
+100
Fans who took to their seats early held a flag reading 'Thanks to the world Le Chagnot' in tribute to those killed in Paris on Friday night
+100
Prince William and David Cameron joined in with the national anthems of both countries as Wembley paid an emotional tribute to the 129 people who were killed in the Paris terror attacks last Friday
+100
United: Both teams stood together for a moment of applause in a show of unity prior to the international friendly match at Wembley
.
Isil terrorists could infiltrate Europe by hiding among refugees, warns Pope Francis
Pope Francis warns of dangers of terrorists slipping into Europe alongside refugees
Pope Francis has warned that Isil terrorists could be hiding among the tens of thousands of refugees who are entering from war-torn countries such as Syria and Libya Photo: Rex
The Pope can call a spade a spade.
Pope Francis warns of dangers of terrorists slipping into Europe alongside refugees
The Pope can call a spade a spade.
How do Syrian refugees get into the U.S.? Explaining the process
Washington (CNN)The Paris terrorist attacks have intensified a debate in Washington over whether the United States should allow Syrian refugees to enter the country.
Following reports that one of the terrorists involved in the strike entered Europe as part of a wave of Syrians fleeing the country's civil war, Republicans on and off the campaign trail are pressing President Barack Obama not to accept the displaced people. Many Republican governors, meanwhile, have said they won't allow Syrian refugees into their states.
Here's how the refugee process works.
How do refugees come to the United States?
Potential refugees first apply for refugee status through the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the international body in charge of protecting and assisting refugees.
The UNHCR essentially decides who merits refugee status based on the parameters laid out in the 1951 Refugee Convention, which states that a refugee is someone who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country."
If it's demonstrated that the refugee in question meets the above conditions, the applicant may be referred by the UNHRC for resettlement in a third country, such as the United States, where he or she will be given legal resident status and eventually be able to apply for citizenship.
After the UNHCR refers a refugee applicant to the United States, the application is processed by a federally funded Resettlement Support Center, which gathers information about the candidate to prepare for an intensive screening process, which includes an interview, a medical evaluation and an interagency security screening process aimed at ensuring the refugee does not pose a threat to the United States.
The average processing time for refugee applications is 18 to 24 months, but Syrian applications can take significantly longer because of security concerns and difficulties in verifying their information.
Once they've completed that part of the process, the refugee is paired with a resettlement agency in the United States to assist in his or her transition to the country. That organization provides support services, such as language and vocational training, as well as monetary assistance for housing and other necessities.
What's the security vetting process like?
Much attention has been focused on the security vetting refugees must go through before they come to the United States, particularly after it was revealed that one of the terrorists in the Paris attacks entered Europe through a refugee processing center.
Several federal agencies, including the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, the Defense Department, the National Counterterrorism Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are involved in the process, which Deputy State Department Spokesman Mark Toner recently called, "the most stringent security process for anyone entering the United States."
These agencies use biographical and biometric information about applicants to conduct a background check and make sure applicants really are who they say they are.
The applicant is interviewed by a DHS officer with training in this screening process as well as specialized training for Syrian and Iraqi refugee cases.
And refugees from Syria actually go through another layer of screening, called the Syria Enhanced Review process.
"With the Syrian program, we've benefited from our years of experience in vetting Iraqi refugee applicants," a senior administration official recently told reporters. "And so the partnerships we have today and the security checks we have today really are more robust because of the experience that we've had since the beginning of large-scale Iraqi processing in 2007."
Another senior administration official noted that the refugee screening process is constantly refined.
What are the challenges associated with vetting these refugees?
Given the abysmal security situation in Syria and the fact that the United States does not maintain a permanent diplomatic presence in the country, it's sometimes difficult for U.S. authorities to gather the information they need to thoroughly vet a Syrian applicant.
FBI Director James Comey hit on the issue at a congressional hearing last month, when he told lawmakers, "If someone has never made a ripple in the pond in Syria in a way that would get their identity or their interest reflected in our database, we can query our database until the cows come home, but there will be nothing show up because we have no record of them."
This particularly comes into play when trying to evaluate an applicant's criminal history.
"In terms of criminal history, we do the best we can with the resources that we have," one senior administration official said.
Another official emphasized that the vetting process is a holistic one, and they try to take a broader view of an applicant with the available information they're about to aggregate and verify.
How many refugees have been admitted to the United States?
U.S. government data shows that just under 2,200 Syrian refugees have been admitted into the United States since the civil war broke out in March of 2011, and the vast majority of those were in the last year.
The administration has acknowledged that processing resettlement applications is a slow and laborious task, which has kept the United States from accepting as many applicants as it would like to.
But the pace of admissions is growing as the United States commits more resources to the endeavor.
What do we know about the refugees admitted so far?
According to senior administration officials, more than half of the Syrian refugees admitted into the U.S. so far are children.
"Single men of combat age" represent only 2% of those admitted and the elderly comprise another 2.5%. The male/female breakdown is "roughly" 50/50.
The approval rate for Syrian refugees so far is a little over 50%, although the official noted that those not included in this pool include both rejected cases and pending cases, so the approval rate is expected to go up.
Where are these refugees?
The Syrian refugees who have been admitted into the United States so far are spread out over 36 states in 138 cities and towns.
California has accepted the most Syrian refugees (252), followed by Texas (242) and Michigan (207).
Fourteen states and the District of Columbia have not admitted any refugees, but that doesn't necessarily reflect a lack of will. Resettlement locations are determined based on a number of factors, including family ties, the size of the local immigrant community and the ability of local resettlement agencies to accommodate new cases.
Officials also take into account the unemployment rate of the area to ensure refugees are able to find work and begin supporting themselves.
How many will be admitted in the future?
As the Syrian refugee crisis in Europe and the Middle East became more dire over the summer, the Obama administration decided to re-evaluate how many Syrian refugees could be admitted.
Ultimately, the President decided to set a goal of 10,000 for the current fiscal year, which goes until October 2016.
In order to accommodate these additional Syrian refugees, the administration upped the total number of refugees it would allow in FY2016 to 85,000, with plans to increase it to 100,000 in FY2017.
But there are significant challenges associated with increasing the quota.
As noted above, the vetting process for Syrian refugees is intensive and plagued by gaps in information.
In order to meet the 10,000 quota it has set, the administration will have to admit five and a half times more Syrian refugees in the coming year than it admitted in the previous 4½ years combined.
Who decides the quota?
The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 sets fairly clear guidelines for how the government can set and change refugee admissions quotas.
Per section 207, the President has the authority to set the annual number, following "appropriate consultation" with members of Congress.
This is done at the start of the fiscal year but can be revisited midyear in cases where "an unforeseen emergency refugee situation exists" and the admission of refugees in response to that emergency "is justified by grave humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest."
In that situation, the President can amend the number of refugees allowed prior to the start of the next fiscal year, again in consultation with Congress, essentially briefing the lawmakers.
My governor wants to stop admitting Syria refugees. Is that allowed?
Over half of U.S. governors, most of them Republicans, announced in the aftermath of the Paris attacks that their states would not accept any further refugees from Syria. But it's unclear whether they have the legal authority to do this.
"This is a federal program carried out under the authority of federal law," one senior administration official noted, "and refugees arriving in the U.S. are protected by the Constitution and federal law."
Refugees are required to adjust their status to become legal permanent residents of the United States within one year of their arrival, at which point they are free to move anywhere in the country, although the official noted some specific benefits may only be available in the state where they were originally resettled.
But experts tell CNN that while the states may not have the legal authority to block their borders, state agencies have authority to make the process of accepting refugees much more difficult by cutting state and local funding.
"I think the entire program is contingent on the support of the American people," the official acknowledged. "It is contingent, as all programs in the United States government are, on funding from Congress."
Now lawmakers are weighing in with proposals to block Syrian refugee funding entirely, which would have the effect of freezing their absorption.
This step presents its own challenges, since funding for Syrian refugees is allocated along with funds to support refugees from other countries.
Washington (CNN)The Paris terrorist attacks have intensified a debate in Washington over whether the United States should allow Syrian refugees to enter the country.
Following reports that one of the terrorists involved in the strike entered Europe as part of a wave of Syrians fleeing the country's civil war, Republicans on and off the campaign trail are pressing President Barack Obama not to accept the displaced people. Many Republican governors, meanwhile, have said they won't allow Syrian refugees into their states.
Here's how the refugee process works.
How do refugees come to the United States?
Potential refugees first apply for refugee status through the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the international body in charge of protecting and assisting refugees.
The UNHCR essentially decides who merits refugee status based on the parameters laid out in the 1951 Refugee Convention, which states that a refugee is someone who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country."
If it's demonstrated that the refugee in question meets the above conditions, the applicant may be referred by the UNHRC for resettlement in a third country, such as the United States, where he or she will be given legal resident status and eventually be able to apply for citizenship.
After the UNHCR refers a refugee applicant to the United States, the application is processed by a federally funded Resettlement Support Center, which gathers information about the candidate to prepare for an intensive screening process, which includes an interview, a medical evaluation and an interagency security screening process aimed at ensuring the refugee does not pose a threat to the United States.
The average processing time for refugee applications is 18 to 24 months, but Syrian applications can take significantly longer because of security concerns and difficulties in verifying their information.
Once they've completed that part of the process, the refugee is paired with a resettlement agency in the United States to assist in his or her transition to the country. That organization provides support services, such as language and vocational training, as well as monetary assistance for housing and other necessities.
What's the security vetting process like?
Much attention has been focused on the security vetting refugees must go through before they come to the United States, particularly after it was revealed that one of the terrorists in the Paris attacks entered Europe through a refugee processing center.
Several federal agencies, including the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, the Defense Department, the National Counterterrorism Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are involved in the process, which Deputy State Department Spokesman Mark Toner recently called, "the most stringent security process for anyone entering the United States."
These agencies use biographical and biometric information about applicants to conduct a background check and make sure applicants really are who they say they are.
The applicant is interviewed by a DHS officer with training in this screening process as well as specialized training for Syrian and Iraqi refugee cases.
And refugees from Syria actually go through another layer of screening, called the Syria Enhanced Review process.
"With the Syrian program, we've benefited from our years of experience in vetting Iraqi refugee applicants," a senior administration official recently told reporters. "And so the partnerships we have today and the security checks we have today really are more robust because of the experience that we've had since the beginning of large-scale Iraqi processing in 2007."
Another senior administration official noted that the refugee screening process is constantly refined.
What are the challenges associated with vetting these refugees?
Given the abysmal security situation in Syria and the fact that the United States does not maintain a permanent diplomatic presence in the country, it's sometimes difficult for U.S. authorities to gather the information they need to thoroughly vet a Syrian applicant.
FBI Director James Comey hit on the issue at a congressional hearing last month, when he told lawmakers, "If someone has never made a ripple in the pond in Syria in a way that would get their identity or their interest reflected in our database, we can query our database until the cows come home, but there will be nothing show up because we have no record of them."
This particularly comes into play when trying to evaluate an applicant's criminal history.
"In terms of criminal history, we do the best we can with the resources that we have," one senior administration official said.
Another official emphasized that the vetting process is a holistic one, and they try to take a broader view of an applicant with the available information they're about to aggregate and verify.
How many refugees have been admitted to the United States?
U.S. government data shows that just under 2,200 Syrian refugees have been admitted into the United States since the civil war broke out in March of 2011, and the vast majority of those were in the last year.
The administration has acknowledged that processing resettlement applications is a slow and laborious task, which has kept the United States from accepting as many applicants as it would like to.
But the pace of admissions is growing as the United States commits more resources to the endeavor.
What do we know about the refugees admitted so far?
According to senior administration officials, more than half of the Syrian refugees admitted into the U.S. so far are children.
"Single men of combat age" represent only 2% of those admitted and the elderly comprise another 2.5%. The male/female breakdown is "roughly" 50/50.
The approval rate for Syrian refugees so far is a little over 50%, although the official noted that those not included in this pool include both rejected cases and pending cases, so the approval rate is expected to go up.
Where are these refugees?
The Syrian refugees who have been admitted into the United States so far are spread out over 36 states in 138 cities and towns.
California has accepted the most Syrian refugees (252), followed by Texas (242) and Michigan (207).
Fourteen states and the District of Columbia have not admitted any refugees, but that doesn't necessarily reflect a lack of will. Resettlement locations are determined based on a number of factors, including family ties, the size of the local immigrant community and the ability of local resettlement agencies to accommodate new cases.
Officials also take into account the unemployment rate of the area to ensure refugees are able to find work and begin supporting themselves.
How many will be admitted in the future?
As the Syrian refugee crisis in Europe and the Middle East became more dire over the summer, the Obama administration decided to re-evaluate how many Syrian refugees could be admitted.
Ultimately, the President decided to set a goal of 10,000 for the current fiscal year, which goes until October 2016.
In order to accommodate these additional Syrian refugees, the administration upped the total number of refugees it would allow in FY2016 to 85,000, with plans to increase it to 100,000 in FY2017.
But there are significant challenges associated with increasing the quota.
As noted above, the vetting process for Syrian refugees is intensive and plagued by gaps in information.
In order to meet the 10,000 quota it has set, the administration will have to admit five and a half times more Syrian refugees in the coming year than it admitted in the previous 4½ years combined.
Who decides the quota?
The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 sets fairly clear guidelines for how the government can set and change refugee admissions quotas.
Per section 207, the President has the authority to set the annual number, following "appropriate consultation" with members of Congress.
This is done at the start of the fiscal year but can be revisited midyear in cases where "an unforeseen emergency refugee situation exists" and the admission of refugees in response to that emergency "is justified by grave humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest."
In that situation, the President can amend the number of refugees allowed prior to the start of the next fiscal year, again in consultation with Congress, essentially briefing the lawmakers.
My governor wants to stop admitting Syria refugees. Is that allowed?
Over half of U.S. governors, most of them Republicans, announced in the aftermath of the Paris attacks that their states would not accept any further refugees from Syria. But it's unclear whether they have the legal authority to do this.
"This is a federal program carried out under the authority of federal law," one senior administration official noted, "and refugees arriving in the U.S. are protected by the Constitution and federal law."
Refugees are required to adjust their status to become legal permanent residents of the United States within one year of their arrival, at which point they are free to move anywhere in the country, although the official noted some specific benefits may only be available in the state where they were originally resettled.
But experts tell CNN that while the states may not have the legal authority to block their borders, state agencies have authority to make the process of accepting refugees much more difficult by cutting state and local funding.
"I think the entire program is contingent on the support of the American people," the official acknowledged. "It is contingent, as all programs in the United States government are, on funding from Congress."
Now lawmakers are weighing in with proposals to block Syrian refugee funding entirely, which would have the effect of freezing their absorption.
This step presents its own challenges, since funding for Syrian refugees is allocated along with funds to support refugees from other countries.
Uh oh...
The Syrian passports to terror: EIGHT migrants have got into Europe with same papers as those found on stadium suicide bomber
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ers-stadium-suicide-bomber.html#ixzz3rotpLtdb
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
The Syrian passports to terror: EIGHT migrants have got into Europe with same papers as those found on stadium suicide bomber
- Eight migrants have reached Europe with passports identical to bomber
- They are carbon copies of one found on one of the ISIS bombers corpse
- They are in the name Ahmad Almohammad and had same date of birth
- He was one of three jihadis who blew themselves up outside Stade de France
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ers-stadium-suicide-bomber.html#ixzz3rotpLtdb
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Let’s remember the many Muslim-American military members who’ve been fighting terrorists too
Corie W. Stephens, Rare Contributor | Posted on November 14, 2015 3:59 pm
YouTube/Screenshot
image: https://coxrare.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/screen-shot-2015-11-14-at-3-55-03-pm.png
Rare MILITARY
Collectivism is an ugly thing and it commonly rears its head in the wake of national and global tragedies. When emotions are at peak levels, as they have been in the wake of an unspeakable act of terror that ravaged Paris Friday, the reaction of many often is to paint entire groups with a broad brush.
It’s an understandable coping mechanism, but does little toward creating reasonable responses to complicated policy matters.
Now would be a good time to remember the many Muslim Americans that have also been fighting against extremists.
A report from 2011 showed that 6,024 Muslims have fought honorably in in the U.S. military since 9/11. That number is likely higher today.
As Craig Considine explained at the Huffington Post in June, there is a long history of Muslim service in our military that dates back to the revolutionary era. In fact, the man who killed British Major General John Pitcairn at the decisive Battle of Bunker Hill was a Muslim soldier by the name of Peter Salaam.
Considine writes:
Over 15,000 Arab Americans, some of whom were Muslim, fought for the U.S. in North Africa, Europe and Asia during the second World War. Historian Edward E. Curtis states that at least twelve Muslim Americans sacrificed their lives during the Vietnam War. Curtis adds that these Muslim soldiers “held military grades from private first class to sergeant.” These facts highlight that Muslims have been involved in the preeminent patriotic struggles of America in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.
Of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Considine writes, “Some of the highest ranked members of the U.S. military have commented that Muslims are a vital component of the American armed forces because of their linguistic skills and cultural understanding of Muslims living around the world.”
Muslim American and U.S. Army veteran Mohammed Shaker told Rare in September, “I love America because of how diverse it is. I saw that first hand in the Army… Sitting on a C-130 where an Arab-American Muslim is about to dangerously jump from an airplane with his Spaniard-Jewish friend, black, Hispanic, and white Christian friends.”
While we cannot deny that radical Islam is a threat, we must also recognize that it’s just as problematic to the Muslim community as it is to westerners. ISIS doesn’t spare its countrymen. They’re a radicalized group that sees the vast majority of Muslims as infidels, as aptly explained in Graeme Wood’s widely-read “What ISIS Really Wants” published at The Atlantic in March.
In times such as these, we would do well to heed the words of President George W. Bush, delivered in the days after September 11th as the haze of terror loomed large over New York City:
“I also want to speak tonight directly to Muslims throughout the world. We respect your faith. It’s practiced freely by many millions of Americans, and by millions more in countries that America counts as friends. Its teachings are good and peaceful, and those who commit evil in the name of Allah blaspheme the name of Allah. The terrorists are traitors to their own faith, trying, in effect, to hijack Islam itself. The enemy of America is not our many Muslim friends; it is not our many Arab friends. Our enemy is a radical network of terrorists, and every government that supports them.”
What President Bush said in 2001 after 9/11 is an important reminder today. If we resist allowing our justifiable emotions to devolve into collectivist hatred , the better we’ll be able to consider the complicated question of where to go from here.
The enemy is radical Islam, not Muslims.
That enemy will also continue to be met by many patriotic Muslim Americans.
Read more at http://rare.us/story/lets-remember-...-fighting-terrorists-too/#uvBtkf363zxVrmwv.99
in fairness most would agree, USA hasn't gotten much right in the Middle East for quite some time. In does appear the best route to manage a world crisis is collaboration with other nations. Putin, Hollande, Cameron are right. Work together. The sole Super Power approach? can't cut it.
as much as I don't want to, I gotta give this man credit.....
posted this before, worth a re-post.
Russia outlines plan for steering Syria out of conflict
Russia has circulated a document on ending the nearly five-year-old Syrian conflict that calls for drafting a new constitution in up to 18 months that would be put to a popular referendum and be followed by an early presidential election.
The document, obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, makes no mention of Syrian President Bashar Assad stepping down during the transition — a key opposition demand. It only mentions that "the president of Syria will not chair the constitutional commission."
It calls for UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura to launch a political process between the Syrian government and "a united delegation of the opposition groups" on the basis of the June 2012 communique agreed upon by major powers in Geneva calling for the establishment of a transitional governing body for Syria with full executive powers, leading to elections.
Russia's deputy UN ambassador Vladimir Safronkov, who expressed regret that the document had been leaked, told The Associated Press: "It's our vision — it's our proposal."
"And of course we are receptive for proposals from the other side. It's just Russian contribution, how we launch a political process ... to make parties work together, government and opposition," he said.
The document was circulated ahead of a second round of talks in Vienna on Saturday among key governments on both sides of the Syrian conflict. De Mistura told reporters after briefing the UN Security Council late Tuesday that his message to the 15 members was "one word — momentum."
British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said the Russian document was not discussed at Tuesday's council meeting "but we're aware of the Russian proposals."
"We welcome their engagement in the Vienna talks," Rycroft said of Russia. "We welcome any constructive ideas that will accelerate an end of this terrible conflict."
At the initial talks in Vienna on Oct. 30, the U.S., Russia, Iran and more than a dozen other nations agreed to launch a new peace effort involving Syria's government and opposition groups. But they carefully avoided the issue of when Assad might leave power — a dispute at the heart of the conflict that has claimed more than 250,000 lives and flooded neighbouring countries and Europe with more than four million refugees
Russia, Syria's closest ally, has stepped up its diplomatic efforts in the country in recent months, hosting meetings with some opposition groups. It launched a bombing campaign on Sept. 30 which it has claimed is striking terrorists in Syria, but the U.S. says 85 to 90 per cent of the strikes have hit moderate Syrian opposition forces and have also killed civilians.
De Mistura said he hopes the second round of talks in Vienna will "bring some deliverables for the Syrian people, and one of them should be reduction of violence ... and I hope something in that direction can be achieved."
The Russian document, entitled "Approach To The Settlement of The Syrian Crisis," focuses on both opposition and "terrorist groups," and the need to differentiate between them.
Referendum on constitution proposed
It calls for the Security Council to agree to list the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria extremist group, also known as ISIL, as "a terrorist organization," and agreement on an additional list of terrorist groups.
"When considering the issue of a cease-fire in Syria, operations against ISIL and other terrorist groups must be excluded," the document says.
It says the composition of the opposition delegation to the political talks "has to be agreed beforehand, including on the basis of readiness of respective groups to share the goals of preventing terrorists from coming to power in Syria and of ensuring sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Syria, as well as secular and democratic character of the state."
When the Syrian government and opposition delegations meet under UN auspices, the document says they should agree on a series of steps:
- Launching a constitutional reform process taking up to 18 months to guarantee "sustainable security and fair balance of interests, rights and obligations of all ethnic and confessional (religious) groups in structures of power and state institutions."
- Forming a constitutional commission "to embrace the entire spectrum of the Syrian society, including domestic and outside opposition," with the chair agreed by all participants.
- Submitting the draft constitution to a popular referendum, and "after its approval an early presidential election will be called."
- Postponing parliamentary elections planned for spring 2016 and scheduling them to be held simultaneously with presidential elections on the basis of the new constitution. Assad was elected to a new seven-year term in 2014 elections that the opposition dismissed as a sham because of the impact of the civil war.
- Agreeing that the popularly elected president will be commander-in-chief of the armed forces and have "control of special services and foreign policy."
The Russians also propose establishing a Syria Support Group to help prepare the meeting and assist the Syrian parties during negotiations to reach "mutual consent."
It suggests that the group include many of the same members that are taking part in the Vienna talks: the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Lebanon, Germany, Italy, the UN special envoy, Arab League, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the European Union.
Chinese Ambassador Liu Jieyi told reporters, "It is imperative that we start a political process by the Syrian people to work out the future of the country. And the process should be Syrian-led and Syria-owned."
Lithuania's UN Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaite said the council "talked a lot about the Vienna momentum, which in a way is what we all need. We need to hold on to a straw, given the level of tragedy. But then again, we need to see how it all proceeds."
Turkey fans BOO during pre-match minute's silence for the victims of Paris attacks and chant 'Allahu Akhbar' before friendly against Greece
By ECE TOKSABAY, REUTERS
- Turkey fans were heard booing during the minute's silence for the victims of the Paris attacks before kick-off
- Chants of 'Allahu Akbar' - the Islamic phrase meaning 'God is greater' - were reportedly heard in Istanbul
- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu watched the game together
- It was the first time the two teams met for eight years and the Turkish Football Federation announced a string of additional security measures - the neighbours' relationship has suffered from hostilities in the past
- Fatih Terim's side were held to a goalless draw by Michael Skibbe's visitors at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium
PUBLISHED: 22:05, 17 November 2015 | UPDATED: 01:32, 18 November 2015
Chants of 'Allahu Akbar' were reportedly heard in Istanbul as some Turkey fans shamefully booed a pre-match minute's silence for the victims of the Paris attacks.
The friendly itself against Greece was largely forgettable as the action finished 0-0 at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium.
But the game was tarnished before it even started as a video emerged suggesting some of the Turkish faithful were voicing their dissent towards tributes for the 129 victims who were killed in last Friday's atrocities in Paris.
Scroll down for video
+10
Turkey's players observed a minute of silence to honour the victims of the Paris terror attacks prior to their match with Greece
+10
Chants of 'Allahu Akbar' - the Islamic phrase meaning 'God is greater' - were reportedly heard from the crowd during the tribute
+10
Turkish supporters waved a plethora of national flags at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium in Istanbul on Tuesday
+10
Turkey manager Fatih Terim (left) was quoted as saying: 'Our fans should have behaved during the one minute silence'
They can't behave. Even moderate Muslims support this crazy ass shit. And why does my Samsung tab auto cap Muslim but not jew or catholic. Wtf?
