JEDDAH: The suicide bomber who killed 22 people at a concert in the British city of Manchester on Monday had “likely” been to Syria, French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said Wednesday.
He told BFM TV that British intelligence services had informed their French counterparts that 22-year-old Salman Abedi, who was of Libyan origin, “grew up in Britain and then suddenly, after a trip to Libya and then likely to Syria, became radicalized and decided to carry out this attack.”
Collomb said it was “possible” that Abedi had had assistance from other people, adding: “In any case, the links with Daesh are proven.”
Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack at the concert by US pop star Ariana Grande in which many children were killed.
The French minister, who took office only last week, added: “At the moment, we know only what British investigators have told us.”
Baker Atyani, a veteran journalist with two decades of covering militant groups, told Arab News on Wednesday that there was no doubt that the attack was carried out by Daesh.
"They officially claimed responsibility for the Manchester suicide attack but did not name the man who carried out the attack," he said.
Atyani said the attack was aimed at easing the pressure on Daesh in Syria and Iraq. "They want to open new fronts so that the attention of the international coalition that is fighting them in Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria is diverted," he said.
He said the Daesh strategy was pretty clear from two or three videos that were released last month — both coming from Raqqa.
"In those videos, foreign fighters, especially from Europe including Britain, are seen calling on their supporters and followers in the West to carry out lone-wolf attacks," said Atyani.
“They are seen urging their followers and sympathizers to use whatever means are available in order to carry out terror attacks. They are essentially asking their supporters to get the anti-Daesh forces busy on other fronts and to open new theaters of conflict.”
Atyani said the Manchester attack revealed a serious security lapse on the part of British authorities.
“The main question that British authorities need to answer is this: How was the suicide bomber able to bring the explosives that he used in his suicide belt?
“The use of explosives indicates that he was not alone and that this was part of a large cell,” he said. “Because somebody brought the material in and someone else prepared the bomb for him.”
“Yes, the attacker came from Manchester. We have heard that his family lived in Manchester so he was familiar with the topography of the city. He knew the place but the real question is: Where did the explosives come from?”
Atyani said even if the man had not been allowed into the arena where the concert was taking place, he would have blown himself up somewhere else.
“Busting the network of terrorists is important because only this will show how Daesh cells are operating. How are they operating in the West? Where are they bringing these kinds of explosives from?” he asked, adding. “The reports indicate it was a very sophisticated bomb.”
He said making or assembling the bomb itself was not difficult. “It is easy assembling the bomb but it is not easy to buy the material,” he said.
He said the material was surely procured from outside the UK. “The material must have been brought from somewhere in Europe. The bomb was not made locally,” he said.
Atyani said such attacks would continue. “Whenever they find an opportunity, they will strike,” he said.
According to him, hitting Daesh in Raqqa is not helping. “They are in Syria and Iraq. You know where they are. They are organized and structured. When they lose territory, they will disperse just as Al-Qaeda did in the past.”
“Some of them will return to their original countries; some of them will stay in Syria and some of them will be killed. Some of them will be arrested but the rest will regroup and try to strike wherever they can,” said Atyani.
He sees no end to the cycle of violence “unless we address the reasons and causes for the violence,” he said.
On Wednesday, British security forces raided an apartment in central Manchester as they investigated a network of people allegedly behind the concert bombing. Hundreds of soldiers were sent to secure key sites across the country, including Buckingham Palace and Parliament.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd said Abedi, “likely” did not act alone.
Abedi, British citizen born to Libyan parents grew up around Manchester; he died in the attack.
In Libya, authorities arrested Abedi’s father and a younger brother. The anti-terror force that took the brother, 18-year-old Hashim, into custody said he had confessed that both he and his brother were a part of Daesh and that he, Hashim Abedi, had been aware of the details of the attack.
The father, Ramadan Abedi, denied his son’s involvement in an interview with The Associated Press earlier Wednesday, saying “We don’t believe in killing innocents.”
Another man taken into custody Tuesday in Manchester was identified by Abedi’s father as another son, 23-year-old Ismail.
— With input from AP
Manchester attack aimed at easing pressure on Daesh in Iraq, Syria, expert tells Arab News
Manchester attack aimed at easing pressure on Daesh in Iraq, Syria, expert tells Arab News
Thousands of Muslims gather to celebrate Eid across Philippines
- Muslims constitute about 10 percent of the majority Catholic population
- President Marcos declared June 17 a national holiday to observe Eid Al-Adha
MANILA: Filipino Muslims across the country gathered on Sunday for Eid Al-Adha prayers to mark the Feast of Sacrifice.
There are some 12 million Muslims among the nearly 120 million, predominantly Catholic population, according to data from the National Commission for Muslim Filipinos collected in 2024.
They live mostly on the island of Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago in the country’s south, as well as in Manila, constituting the third-largest Muslim community in Southeast Asia after Indonesia and Malaysia.
Earlier this month, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared Monday, June 17 a national holiday to observe Eid Al-Adha, the second of the two main holidays observed in Islam.
In the Philippine capital region, thousands of Muslims braved the rain for Eid prayers, gathering at the Quezon Memorial Circle for a communal prayer that began early in the morning.
“It rained as early as 5 a.m. First it was just drizzles, then there was a downpour, and then the rain stopped. Good thing that we were able to perform the prayer before it rained again,” Nords Maguindanao, a Muslim resident of Quezon city, told Arab News.
“There were thousands who came to celebrate Eid Al-Adha. The heavy rain did not stop us from congregating … Today we literally had to endure the rain, sacrifice our time and patience. The bad weather was really a test of patience. But overall what is important is that families are united on Eid.”
Maguindanao, who was with his wife and children, has attended the gatherings at Quezon Memorial Circle for years. It is one of the major venues for Eid celebrations in the area, the other being the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.
“The unity of Muslims in Quezon City was shown through this Eid prayer because of the overwhelming attendance of the city’s Muslim constituents,” he said.
Ali Macabalang, a local journalist from Kidapawan City in the country’s south, told Arab News that he gathered with hundreds of other Muslims at a small park to celebrate Eid this year.
“Eid Al-Adha for me is the very moment of performing or seeking atonement and renewal of connections to the Almighty Creator,” Macabalang said.
“After the prayer, the Imam delivered a sermon reminding Muslims of their duties not only to God but to the community, then to themselves. After that, families partake of the food, which is the basic component of every celebration.”
Eid Al-Adha commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim’s test of faith when he was commanded by God to sacrifice his son, and also marks the culmination of Hajj, the annual pilgrimage that is one of the five pillars of Islam.
In Cotabato City, the main city of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, local authorities celebrated the holiday with reflections on their struggles over the years.
Bangsamoro, the only Muslim-majority territory in the Philippines covering central Mindanao, was until 2014 at the heart of a four-decades-long separatist struggle. The BARMM was formed in 2019 as part of the region’s transition to autonomy, which will culminate in 2025, when it will elect its legislature and executive.
“Today is a moment for every believer to remain true to our core values: that, amidst the challenges of life, the sacrifices we endure hold profound meaning and wisdom,” the BARMM’s chief minister, Murad Ebrahim, said.
“It is through the sacrifices and obedience of the Bangsamoro people that we have progressed in our struggle for justice and equality.”
What to know about Trump’s outreach with Arab Americans led by his daughter Tiffany’s father-in-law
- Skepticism remains among Arab American community about whether Boulos can shape potential decisions by Trump
- Many remain offended by Trump’s first-term immigration ban from several majority Muslim countries
LANSING: Donald Trump’s allies are working to win over Arab American voter s who are unhappy with President Joe Biden’s support for Israel.
The effort is led by Massad Boulos, whose son married Tiffany Trump, the former president’s younger daughter, two years ago. Boulos, a Lebanese-born businessman, is now using his connections in the Arab American community and meeting with its leaders in Michigan, home to many Arab American Democrats who are disenchanted with Biden.
But any apparent political opportunity for Trump may be limited. Many Arab Americans remain offended by Trump’s ban, while in office, on immigration from several majority Muslim countries and other remarks they consider insulting. Trump also has criticized Biden for not being a strong enough supporter of Israel.
In interviews with The Associated Press, Boulos outlined his outreach efforts and discussed his plans. Those who have met with him shared their thoughts on whether the strategy is working.
An unknown emissary
Boulos, who is frequently overseas managing a Nigerian-based conglomerate, first became directly involved in US politics in 2019 when he met Trump. At the time, his son Michael was dating Tiffany Trump.
Before the 2020 election, Boulos assisted with Arab American outreach in a minor role. His involvement has significantly expanded this year as Trump allies aim to exploit divisions within Biden’s Democratic base. Boulos is working closely with an Arab Americans for Trump group that has set up operations in Arizona and Michigan.
The Michigan meetings
In May, Massad and Michael Boulos traveled to metro Detroit with Richard Grenell, a key foreign policy adviser to Trump and his former ambassador to Germany, to meet with a group of close to 40 Arab American activists from across the country.
A little over a week later, Boulos returned for a more extensive round of engagements. He conducted individual meetings with several prominent community leaders and organized larger gatherings, each drawing nearly 50 Arab American community members.
Those who have engaged with Boulos so far are skeptical about the impact of these efforts. They note a lack of substantial evidence supporting the assertion that Trump is the better candidate for Arab Americans.
“Massad is unable to convince people to come to Trump’s side because he hasn’t offered anything substantial to the community,” said Osama Siblani, a publisher of the Arab American News in Dearborn.
Electoral impact
Both major parties have focused on the Arab American vote due to the community’s significant population in Michigan, which is expected to play a decisive role in the presidential election.
Trump won Michigan by just over 10,000 votes in 2016. Biden retook the state for the Democrats in 2020 by a roughly 154,000-vote margin.
Michigan holds the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the nation, with more than 310,000 residents of Middle Eastern or North African ancestry, according to the most recent census.
More than 100,000 Michigan Democratic primary voters in February cast ballots for “uncommitted” in the presidential race, enough to pick up two delegates. In two Muslim-majority Michigan cities, including Dearborn, which holds close to 110,000 people, the “uncommitted” vote defeated Biden in the Democratic primary.
The Trump connection
Boulos is the latest relative to rise in Trump’s political circle. The former president has a long history of putting family members and their relatives in key roles in his campaigns and at the White House.
Recently, Trump handpicked his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as the Republican National Committee’s co-chair.
During his first term, he appointed his daughter Ivanka as a senior White House adviser and his son-in-law Jared Kushner to oversee major issues such as Middle East peace, criminal justice reform and the government’s coronavirus response.
Boulos calls Trump a “family friend.” But Boulos insists that his outreach efforts so far have been “more of a personal effort to reconnect with friends.” He adds that the key messages emerging from meetings with Arab Americans are communicated to Trump and influenced a recent statement on the Middle East posted on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social.
But to some attendees of the meetings, the direct connection to Trump matters little when Boulos can’t make promises on future policy.
“Family members are are fine. But at the end of the day, we have to sit down with someone who’s going to be a policymaker,” Siblani said. “And knowing Trump, only Trump can sit down and talk about his policy.”
Hamburg police fire shots at axe-wielding person at Euro 2024 fan parade
- Major police operation is now underway and the attacker is currently receiving medical care for injuries
FRANKFURT: German police fired shots at a person who threatened officers with a pickaxe and an incendiary device on the sidelines of a Euro 2024 soccer fan parade in central Hamburg on Sunday, according to a police post on social media platform X.
A major police operation is now underway and the attacker is currently receiving medical care for injuries, the post added.
The incident occurred in the St. Pauli district of the city as Poland and the Netherlands prepare to play against each other in Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion at 3 p.m. (1300 GMT).
Fan marches are scheduled ahead of the games, and a parade for Dutch supporters was held at 12:30 p.m. (1030 GMT), around the time of the incident.
Germany is hosting the month-long tournament that began on Friday night.
Ukraine peace summit says ‘dialogue between all parties’ needed to end war
- More than 90 countries had gathered in the Swiss resort of Burgenstock for the summit
- Moscow was not invited and has rejected the summit as ‘absurd’ and pointless
BURGENSTOCK, Switzerland: Dozens of countries said Sunday that Ukraine’s “territorial integrity” should be respected in any peace deal to end the war, as they said “dialogue between all parties” would be necessary for a lasting settlement.
In a final communique issued at the end of a major two-day diplomatic summit in Switzerland, the vast majority of countries also backed a call for the full exchange of captured soldiers and return of deported Ukrainian children.
But not all attendees backed the document, with India, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates among those not included in a list of supporting states displayed on screens at the summit.
“We believe that reaching peace requires the involvement of and dialogue between all parties,” the document stated.
It added: “We reaffirm our commitment to ... the principles of sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of all states, including Ukraine, within their internationally recognized borders.”
More than 90 countries had gathered in the Swiss resort of Burgenstock for the summit, dedicated to discussing Kyiv’s proposals for a route out of the conflict.
Moscow was not invited and has rejected the summit as “absurd” and pointless.
Kyiv had worked hard to secure attendance from countries that maintain warm relations with Russia.
The final document also called for all prisoners of war to be released in a “complete exchange” and for all Ukrainian children who had been “deported and unlawfully displaced” to be returned to Ukraine.
Kyiv accuses Russia of abducting almost 20,000 children from parts of the east and south of the country that its forces took control of.
Working groups at the summit also addressed the issues of global food security and nuclear safety.
“Food security must not be weaponized in any way,” the declaration stated, adding that access to ports in the Black and Azov Seas was “critical” for global food supply.
And the countries also called for Ukraine to have “full sovereign control” over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Located in the south of Ukraine, the facility is Europe’s largest nuclear energy site and has been controlled by Russian forces since early in the war.
On Bhasan Char, Rohingya refugees observe Eid without family festivities
- More than 35,000 Rohingya have been relocated to Bhasan Char since end of 2020
- It is illegal for refugees to leave the remote Bangladeshi island
DHAKA: Sebon Bahar’s fondest memories of Eid Al-Adha are the hug she would share with her mother to celebrate the occasion, an experience that has grown distant now that she is living on a remote Bangladeshi island.
For the last three years, the Islamic holiday that is synonymous with family gatherings has not felt the same for Bahar following her move to Bhasan Char.
“My Eid celebrations remain incomplete without this precious hug with my mother … Here on this island, I miss this most during Eid as my mom is living at Cox’s Bazar,” she told Arab News on Sunday.
“Without my family members, especially my mother … I feel like it’s not a special day … I haven’t seen my relatives who live in Cox’s Bazar for over three years.”
Bahar is among more than 35,000 Rohingya who since the end of 2020 have been moved to Bhasan Char as authorities seek to ease pressure on the congested camps at Cox’s Bazar, which is home to more than 1 million refugees who fled violence and persecution in Myanmar.
Located in the Bay of Bengal, the island settlement is several hours by boat away from the mainland.
The fourth Eid Al-Adha on Bhasan Char has not eased the feeling of isolation for its residents, many of whom are missing their extended family even more during the Feast of Sacrifice as leaving the facility is illegal for refugees on the island.
On Eid, Bahar said she makes calls to relatives in an attempt to “feel the special day,” trying to replicate the time she was still living in Cox’s Bazar, when the holiday meant friends and families visiting each other and gossiping over shared food.
While the 30-year-old is grateful for the improved parts of her life in Bhasan Char, where there is more safety, access to fresh seafood and good housing, refugees still struggle with a lack of access to quality education, high cost of goods and also inability to leave the island.
“There is no hope in this island life, and also Cox’s Bazar camp life. I am living life with only one hope nowadays, that one day I will be able to return to Myanmar with citizenship rights,” Bahar said.
Eid celebrations are not the same for Mohammed Abdul Jalil either, as he celebrates his third such holiday on the island.
“Eid celebrations without relatives and family members here at Bhasan Char are boring to me,” Jalil told Arab News.
“Yes, we are in touch with each other through mobile phones, but having chit-chat sitting face to face can’t be compared with two to three minutes of mobile phone conversation. Visiting each other is the most special thing we usually practice as part of Eid.”
He is hoping that the day comes soon when he can return to Myanmar.
“On this island, I just want to reside until our dignified repatriation to our motherland with full rights. As a refugee on this island, I have no other dream or expectations,” Jalil said.
In spite of the hardships and uncertainties, many refugees try their best to make a festive occasion such as Eid as special as possible.
“My Eid celebrations center around the joy of my children, and I always try to do my best to make the day special for my children,” Monira Begum said.
Like Bahar and Jalil, Eid for Begum was also about spending time and sharing food with her extended family — an experience she has not been able to have for the last four years in Bhasan Char.
As she prepares for Eid Al-Adha, which will be observed on Monday in Bangladesh, Begum plans to make traditional snacks for her family.
“I have powdered rice grain to make our traditional snacks, sweet sticky rice cake. I bought some clothes for my children, cosmetics for my daughters, though I am unable to offer a sacrificial animal … This is how I am going to celebrate Eid this year,” Begum said.
