Ahead of her Senate <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-nominee-gina-haspel-faces-us-senate-hurdle-in-bid-to-lead-cia-35745">intelligence committee appearance</a> on Wednesday, Gina Haspel who was picked by Trump to be the next CIA chief has reportedly informed the White House that she may not attend the confirmation hearing over her intelligence records which allegedly involves "waterboarding" technique which is condemned as torture.

A US media report said she has told the White House that she may step aside from the hearing than be subjected to hard grilling by the Senate committee who are reportedly set to ask several uncomfortable questions about her tenure in the CIA.

However, the White House has apparently said she will not withdraw. Haspel, 61, would become the first woman CIA chief if she confirmed by the Senate committee.

The White House reportedly wanted to hear her version ahead of Senate confirmation hearing with several controversial topics set to be&nbsp;discussed.

Haspel's work in the CIA has been shrouded in mystery. She is widely believed to have used waterboarding techniques as a brutal form of interrogation on at least two terror suspects.

The al Qaida suspects were allegedly interrogated in secret prisons outside the US in what many believe was a form of "torture".

Although Republicans hold a narrow majority, her confirmation could become a close affair with several questions being raised about her work and techniques she followed during her time as a field officer in the aftermath of 9/11.

Former President George Bush had authorized the Rendition, Detention and Interrogation Program after the 2001, September 11th terror attacks on the New York trade towers and the Pentagon.

Haspel is due to succeed Mike Pompeo, who became secretary of state last month.

The al Qaida suspects were allegedly interrogated in secret prisons outside the US in what many believe was a form of "torture".

Ahead of her Senate intelligence committee appearance on Wednesday, Gina Haspel who was picked by Trump to be the next CIA chief has reportedly informed the White House that she may not attend the confirmation hearing over her intelligence records which allegedly involves "waterboarding" technique which is condemned as torture. A US media report said she has told the White House that she may step aside from the hearing than be subjected to hard grilling by the Senate committee who are reportedly set to ask several uncomfortable questions about her tenure in the CIA. However, the White House has apparently said she will not withdraw. Haspel, 61, would become the first woman CIA chief if she confirmed by the Senate committee. The White House reportedly wanted to hear her version ahead of Senate confirmation hearing with several controversial topics set to be discussed. Haspel's work in the CIA has been shrouded in mystery. She is widely believed to have used waterboarding techniques as a brutal form of interrogation on at least two terror suspects. The al Qaida suspects were allegedly interrogated in secret prisons outside the US in what many believe was a form of "torture". Although Republicans hold a narrow majority, her confirmation could become a close affair with several questions being raised about her work and techniques she followed during her time as a field officer in the aftermath of 9/11. Former President George Bush had authorized the Rendition, Detention and Interrogation Program after the 2001, September 11th terror attacks on the New York trade towers and the Pentagon. Haspel is due to succeed Mike Pompeo, who became secretary of state last month.

CIA nominee Gina Haspel tried to withdraw over 'torture' allegation: Report

A US judge on Wednesday rejected Saudi Arabia`s bid to dismiss lawsuits claiming that it helped plan the September 11, 2001, attacks and should pay billions of dollars in damages to victims.

US District Judge George Daniels in Manhattan said the plaintiffs` allegations "narrowly articulate a reasonable basis" for him to assert jurisdiction over Saudi Arabia under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), a 2016 federal law.

The Saudi government has long denied involvement in the attacks in which hijacked airplanes crashed into New York`s World Trade Center, the Pentagon outside Washington, DC, and a Pennsylvania field. Nearly 3,000 people died.

Lawyers for Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the decision. At a Saudi stock market event in New York, asked whether the court decision would have a negative impact on Saudi investment in the United States, Capital Market Authority Chairman Mohammed A. ElKuwaiz declined to comment, saying he had not seen the news.

Daniels` decision covers claims by the families of those killed, roughly 25,000 people who suffered injuries, and many businesses and insurers.

The judge also dismissed claims that two Saudi banks, National Commercial Bank and Al Rajhi Bank, and Saudi Binladin Group, a construction company controlled by the bin Laden family, provided funds and financial services for the attacks, saying he lacked jurisdiction.

Saudi Arabia had long had broad immunity from September 11 lawsuits in the United States.

That changed in September 2016, when the US Congress overrode President Barack Obama`s veto of JASTA, allowing such cases to proceed.

Obama had warned that the law could expose US companies, troops and officials to lawsuits in other countries.

Daniels said the plaintiffs could try to prove that Saudi Arabia was liable for the alleged activities of Fahad al Thumairy, an imam at the King Fahad Mosque in Culver City, California, and Omar al Bayoumi, said to be an intelligence officer.

They were accused of helping two hijackers acclimate themselves to the United States, and begin preparing for the attacks.

Saudi Arabia had argued that the plaintiffs could not show that any Saudi official, employee or agent planned or carried out the attacks.

James Kreindler, a lawyer for many of the plaintiffs, said he was "delighted" the case can proceed.

"We have been pressing to proceed with the case and conduct discovery from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so that the full story can come to light, and expose the Saudi role in the 9/11 attacks," he said in a phone interview.

The judge also dismissed claims against the state-affiliated charity Saudi High Commission for Relief of Bosnia & Herzegovina, saying the plaintiffs` "guilt-by-association" claims did not overcome its presumption of immunity.

The case is In re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001, US District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 03-md-01570.

A US judge on Wednesday rejected Saudi Arabia`s bid to dismiss lawsuits claiming that it helped plan the September 11, 2001, attacks and should pay billions of dollars in damages to victims

A US judge on Wednesday rejected Saudi Arabia`s bid to dismiss lawsuits claiming that it helped plan the September 11, 2001, attacks and should pay billions of dollars in damages to victims. US District Judge George Daniels in Manhattan said the plaintiffs` allegations "narrowly articulate a reasonable basis" for him to assert jurisdiction over Saudi Arabia under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), a 2016 federal law. The Saudi government has long denied involvement in the attacks in which hijacked airplanes crashed into New York`s World Trade Center, the Pentagon outside Washington, DC, and a Pennsylvania field. Nearly 3,000 people died. Lawyers for Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the decision. At a Saudi stock market event in New York, asked whether the court decision would have a negative impact on Saudi investment in the United States, Capital Market Authority Chairman Mohammed A. ElKuwaiz declined to comment, saying he had not seen the news. Daniels` decision covers claims by the families of those killed, roughly 25,000 people who suffered injuries, and many businesses and insurers. The judge also dismissed claims that two Saudi banks, National Commercial Bank and Al Rajhi Bank, and Saudi Binladin Group, a construction company controlled by the bin Laden family, provided funds and financial services for the attacks, saying he lacked jurisdiction. Saudi Arabia had long had broad immunity from September 11 lawsuits in the United States. That changed in September 2016, when the US Congress overrode President Barack Obama`s veto of JASTA, allowing such cases to proceed. Obama had warned that the law could expose US companies, troops and officials to lawsuits in other countries. Daniels said the plaintiffs could try to prove that Saudi Arabia was liable for the alleged activities of Fahad al Thumairy, an imam at the King Fahad Mosque in Culver City, California, and Omar al Bayoumi, said to be an intelligence officer. They were accused of helping two hijackers acclimate themselves to the United States, and begin preparing for the attacks. Saudi Arabia had argued that the plaintiffs could not show that any Saudi official, employee or agent planned or carried out the attacks. James Kreindler, a lawyer for many of the plaintiffs, said he was "delighted" the case can proceed. "We have been pressing to proceed with the case and conduct discovery from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so that the full story can come to light, and expose the Saudi role in the 9/11 attacks," he said in a phone interview. The judge also dismissed claims against the state-affiliated charity Saudi High Commission for Relief of Bosnia & Herzegovina, saying the plaintiffs` "guilt-by-association" claims did not overcome its presumption of immunity. The case is In re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001, US District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 03-md-01570.

Saudi Arabia must face US lawsuits over September 11 attacks

Sixteen years ago, on September 11, 2001, al-Qaida conducted the most destructive terrorist attack in history.

<figure>
An unprecedented onslaught from the U.S. followed. <a href="https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/20177.pdf" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">One-third of al-Qaida&rsquo;s leadership</a> was killed or captured in the following year. The group lost its safe haven in <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/369161-2001-03-27-afghanistan-an-incubator-for.html" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Afghanistan</a>, including its extensive <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/369179-2003-06-20-afghanistan-camps-central-to-11.html" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">training</a> infrastructure there. Its surviving members were on the run or in hiding. Though it took nearly 10 years, the <a href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-dead" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">U.S. succeeded in killing</a> al-Qaida&rsquo;s founding leader, Osama bin Laden. Since 2014, al-Qaida has been <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/30/world/meast/isis-overshadows-al-qaeda/index.html" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">overshadowed</a> by its former ally al-Qaida in Iraq, now calling itself the Islamic State.

In other words, al-Qaida should not have survived the 16 years since 9/11.
</figure>

So why has it?

&nbsp;

<figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/185373/area14mp/file-20170910-32284-1inb4i7.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/185373/width754/file-20170910-32284-1inb4i7.jpg" /></a>

<figcaption>
A fighter from the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front holds his group flag in front of the governor building in Idlib province, north Syria. <a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Mideast-Syria-Rebel-Stronghold/a0a4575fd95745aaa885d982face6f7c/2/0">Twitter/via AP</a>
</figcaption>
</figure>

The ties that bind

Much of the credit goes to al-Qaida&rsquo;s extraordinary ability to both form alliances and sustain them over time and under pressure.

In my forthcoming book &ldquo;Alliances for Terror,&rdquo; I examine why a small number of groups, such as al-Qaida and IS, emerge as desirable partners and succeed at developing alliance networks.

Understanding terrorist alliances are critical because terrorist organisations with allies are <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228192307_Allying_to_Kill">more lethal</a>, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/isq/article-abstract/58/2/336/2963248/Terrorist-Group-Cooperation-and-Longevity1?redirectedFrom=fulltext">survive longer</a> and are more apt to seek <a href="http://www.start.umd.edu/publication/connections-can-be-toxic-terrorist-organizational-factors-and-pursuit-cbrn-weapons">weapons of mass destruction</a>. Though terrorist partnerships face numerous <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09546553.2014.993466">hurdles</a> and severing al-Qaida&rsquo;s alliances has been a U.S. objective for <a href="https://www.cia.gov/news-information/cia-the-war-on-terrorism/Counter_Terrorism_Strategy.pdf">over a decade</a>, the fact is that these counterterrorism efforts have failed.

It was allied that enabled al-Qaida to survive the immediate aftermath of 9/11. The Afghan Taliban stood by al-Qaida after the attack, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taliban-wont-turn-over-bin-laden/">refusing to surrender bin Laden</a> and thereby precipitating the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Fleeing, al-Qaida was able to turn to allies in Pakistan to hide its operatives and punish the Pakistani government for capitulating to U.S. pressure to crack down on the group.

It was alliances that helped al-Qaida continue to terrorise. In October 2002, for example, al-Qaida&rsquo;s ally in Southeast Asia, Jemaah Islamiyah, struck a <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-19881138">bar and a nightclub in Bali</a>, killing more than 200 and injuring more than 200 more, to brutally commemorate the first anniversary of 9/11.

And it was alliances that allowed al-Qaida to project viability. With the &ldquo;prestige&rdquo; that came with conducting 9/11, al-Qaida was able to forge more of them and indeed create affiliate alliances in which partners adopted its name and pledged allegiance to bin Laden.

Al-Qaida&rsquo;s first and most notorious affiliate alliance, <a href="https://2001-2009.state.gov/p/nea/rls/31694.htm">al-Qaida in Iraq,</a> was formed in 2004 with Jordanian jihadist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Using the standing he accrued through his role in the insurgency in Iraq, Zarqawi then helped al-Qaida acquire its second affiliate in 2006, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/world/africa/01transcript-droukdal.html?mcubz=0">al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb</a>. Then, in 2009, al-Qaida designated its branch in Yemen and Saudi Arabia <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-11483095">as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula</a>. Its alliances spanned the Middle East and helped it to project power, despite the U.S. war on terrorism.

A lower profile

While al-Qaida still sought affiliates, by 2010, it modified how its alliances work.

Al-Qaida forged an alliance with al-Shabaab in Somalia, but did not publicly announce it or ask al-Shabaab to change its name. Bin Laden <a href="https://ctc.usma.edu/posts/letter-from-usama-bin-laden-to-mukhtar-abu-al-zubayr-original-language-2">justified</a> to Al-Shabaab&#39;s leader the shift to a less visible form of alliance as a way to prevent an increase in counterterrorism pressure or a loss of funds from the Arabian Peninsula. He privately expressed <a href="http://www.jihadica.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/SOCOM-2012-0000009-Trans.pdf">concerns</a> that al-Qaida&rsquo;s name &ldquo;reduces the feeling of Muslims that we belong to them, and allows the enemies to claim deceptively that they are not at war with Islam.&rdquo; Bin Laden&rsquo;s deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, saw the move as bin Laden capitulating to members of al-Qaida who worried about &ldquo;<a href="https://ctc.usma.edu/posts/letter-to-azmarai-english-translation-2">inflating the size and the growth of al-Qaida</a>.&rdquo; After bin Laden&rsquo;s death, Zawahiri <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/al-qaeda-allied-somali-terror-group-al-shabaab/story?id=15548647">publicly announced</a> al-Qaida&rsquo;s alliance with al-Shabaab, though al-Shabaab still did not adopt al-Qaida&rsquo;s name.

Though al-Qaida&rsquo;s alliance arrangements have varied, these relationships have helped it to survive the loss of its founding leader in 2011 and the ascent of a far less capable leader. <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/09/16/the-man-behind-bin-laden">Zawahiri&rsquo;s</a> rise to the helm of the group was the consequence of an alliance, specifically between his original Egyptian group, al-Jihad, and al-Qaida. The alliance culminated in a merger in 2001, with Zawahiri becoming bin Laden&rsquo;s deputy and successor.

However, Zawahiri lacks bin Laden&rsquo;s cachet or diplomatic savvy. He is a better deputy than a leader. His <a href="https://archive.org/stream/710588-translation-of-ayman-al-zawahiris-letter/710588-translation-of-ayman-al-zawahiris-letter_djvu.txt">poor handling</a> of the strife between jihadist group al-Nusra in Syria and its parent organisation, the Islamic State in Iraq (previously al-Qaida in Iraq and now IS), led to the alliance <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1057610X.2017.1373895">rupture</a> between al-Qaida and its affiliate in Iraq.

Though al-Qaida had an acrimonious break with IS, it gained al-Nusra as an affiliate in the central conflict in the Sunni jihadist movement: Syria. As was the case with al-Shabaab, this alliance with al-Nusra did not include a rebranding and was initially kept secret. In addition, al-Nusra subsequently changed its name, an effort to gain <a href="https://www.rand.org/blog/2017/03/al-qaeda-in-syria-can-change-its-name-but-not-its-stripes.html">more legitimacy within the conflict in Syria by publicly distancing</a> itself from al-Qaida, though seemingly with al-Qaida&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/middle-east/2016-08-28/rebranding-terror">consent</a>.

Al-Qaida has not acquired another affiliate since the alliance rupture and rise of IS as a rival in 2014. It organised existing members into a new branch, <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-29056668">al-Qaida in the Indian subcontinent</a>, that year. The branch in South Asia reflected al-Qaida&rsquo;s success at expanding beyond its predominantly Arab base, particularly in <a href="http://carnegieendowment.org/2013/10/22/going-native-pakistanization-of-al-qaeda-pub-53382">Pakistan</a>.

Critically, with the exception of IS, al-Qaida&rsquo;s alliances have been resilient over time. This is true despite ample reasons for its partners to abandon ties, such as the heightened counterterrorism pressure that comes with affiliation to al-Qaida; the death of its charismatic leader; and the Islamic State&rsquo;s efforts to <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/03/isil-eyes-east-africa-foments-division-150322130940108.html">court</a> al-Qaida allies. Even the Afghan Taliban remains unwilling to sever ties, even though doing so would eliminate one of the major reasons that the United States will not withdraw from the &ldquo;forever war&rdquo; in Afghanistan.

<img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/83403/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />There is a window now for the U.S. to damage al-Qaida&rsquo;s alliances: It has a weak leader and major rival. But that window may be closing as the Islamic State&rsquo;s so-called caliphate <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/22/europe/isis-2-0/index.html">crumbles</a> and al-Qaida grooms <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/bin-ladens-son-steps-into-fathers-shoes-as-al-qaeda-attempts-a-comeback/2017/05/27/0c89ffc0-4198-11e7-9869-bac8b446820a_story.html">bin Laden&rsquo;s son</a> as its future leader.

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-al-qaida-is-still-strong-16-years-after-9-11-83403">original article</a>.

Al-Qaida developed strong alliances among terrorist organisations which helped it to survive the immediate aftermath of 9/11.

Sixteen years ago, on September 11, 2001, al-Qaida conducted the most destructive terrorist attack in history. An unprecedented onslaught from the U.S. followed. One-third of al-Qaida’s leadership was killed or captured in the following year. The group lost its safe haven in Afghanistan, including its extensive training infrastructure there. Its surviving members were on the run or in hiding. Though it took nearly 10 years, the U.S. succeeded in killing al-Qaida’s founding leader, Osama bin Laden. Since 2014, al-Qaida has been overshadowed by its former ally al-Qaida in Iraq, now calling itself the Islamic State. In other words, al-Qaida should not have survived the 16 years since 9/11. So why has it? A fighter from the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front holds his group flag in front of the governor building in Idlib province, north Syria. Twitter/via AP The ties that bind Much of the credit goes to al-Qaida’s extraordinary ability to both form alliances and sustain them over time and under pressure. In my forthcoming book “Alliances for Terror,” I examine why a small number of groups, such as al-Qaida and IS, emerge as desirable partners and succeed at developing alliance networks. Understanding terrorist alliances are critical because terrorist organisations with allies are more lethal, survive longer and are more apt to seek weapons of mass destruction. Though terrorist partnerships face numerous hurdles and severing al-Qaida’s alliances has been a U.S. objective for over a decade, the fact is that these counterterrorism efforts have failed. It was allied that enabled al-Qaida to survive the immediate aftermath of 9/11. The Afghan Taliban stood by al-Qaida after the attack, refusing to surrender bin Laden and thereby precipitating the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Fleeing, al-Qaida was able to turn to allies in Pakistan to hide its operatives and punish the Pakistani government for capitulating to U.S. pressure to crack down on the group. It was alliances that helped al-Qaida continue to terrorise. In October 2002, for example, al-Qaida’s ally in Southeast Asia, Jemaah Islamiyah, struck a bar and a nightclub in Bali, killing more than 200 and injuring more than 200 more, to brutally commemorate the first anniversary of 9/11. And it was alliances that allowed al-Qaida to project viability. With the “prestige” that came with conducting 9/11, al-Qaida was able to forge more of them and indeed create affiliate alliances in which partners adopted its name and pledged allegiance to bin Laden. Al-Qaida’s first and most notorious affiliate alliance, al-Qaida in Iraq, was formed in 2004 with Jordanian jihadist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Using the standing he accrued through his role in the insurgency in Iraq, Zarqawi then helped al-Qaida acquire its second affiliate in 2006, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb. Then, in 2009, al-Qaida designated its branch in Yemen and Saudi Arabia as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. Its alliances spanned the Middle East and helped it to project power, despite the U.S. war on terrorism. A lower profile While al-Qaida still sought affiliates, by 2010, it modified how its alliances work. Al-Qaida forged an alliance with al-Shabaab in Somalia, but did not publicly announce it or ask al-Shabaab to change its name. Bin Laden justified to Al-Shabaab's leader the shift to a less visible form of alliance as a way to prevent an increase in counterterrorism pressure or a loss of funds from the Arabian Peninsula. He privately expressed concerns that al-Qaida’s name “reduces the feeling of Muslims that we belong to them, and allows the enemies to claim deceptively that they are not at war with Islam.” Bin Laden’s deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, saw the move as bin Laden capitulating to members of al-Qaida who worried about “inflating the size and the growth of al-Qaida.” After bin Laden’s death, Zawahiri publicly announced al-Qaida’s alliance with al-Shabaab, though al-Shabaab still did not adopt al-Qaida’s name. Though al-Qaida’s alliance arrangements have varied, these relationships have helped it to survive the loss of its founding leader in 2011 and the ascent of a far less capable leader. Zawahiri’s rise to the helm of the group was the consequence of an alliance, specifically between his original Egyptian group, al-Jihad, and al-Qaida. The alliance culminated in a merger in 2001, with Zawahiri becoming bin Laden’s deputy and successor. However, Zawahiri lacks bin Laden’s cachet or diplomatic savvy. He is a better deputy than a leader. His poor handling of the strife between jihadist group al-Nusra in Syria and its parent organisation, the Islamic State in Iraq (previously al-Qaida in Iraq and now IS), led to the alliance rupture between al-Qaida and its affiliate in Iraq. Though al-Qaida had an acrimonious break with IS, it gained al-Nusra as an affiliate in the central conflict in the Sunni jihadist movement: Syria. As was the case with al-Shabaab, this alliance with al-Nusra did not include a rebranding and was initially kept secret. In addition, al-Nusra subsequently changed its name, an effort to gain more legitimacy within the conflict in Syria by publicly distancing itself from al-Qaida, though seemingly with al-Qaida’s consent. Al-Qaida has not acquired another affiliate since the alliance rupture and rise of IS as a rival in 2014. It organised existing members into a new branch, al-Qaida in the Indian subcontinent, that year. The branch in South Asia reflected al-Qaida’s success at expanding beyond its predominantly Arab base, particularly in Pakistan. Critically, with the exception of IS, al-Qaida’s alliances have been resilient over time. This is true despite ample reasons for its partners to abandon ties, such as the heightened counterterrorism pressure that comes with affiliation to al-Qaida; the death of its charismatic leader; and the Islamic State’s efforts to court al-Qaida allies. Even the Afghan Taliban remains unwilling to sever ties, even though doing so would eliminate one of the major reasons that the United States will not withdraw from the “forever war” in Afghanistan. There is a window now for the U.S. to damage al-Qaida’s alliances: It has a weak leader and major rival. But that window may be closing as the Islamic State’s so-called caliphate crumbles and al-Qaida grooms bin Laden’s son as its future leader. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Why al-Qaida is still strong 16 years after 9/11

Canada&#39;s Justin Trudeau invited President Donald Trump&#39;s daughter Ivanka to attend a Broadway musical celebrating Canadian hospitality towards foreigners following the 9/11 attacks.

Ivanka Trump and the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, were guests of honour of the prime minister for the Wednesday night performance of &quot;Come From Away,&quot; a Trudeau spokesperson told AFP.

The Canadian Consulate had booked some 600 seats at Broadway&#39;s Schoenfeld Theater for the show, which made its official Broadway debut March 12.

&quot;Come From Away&quot; is set in a small Newfoundland town that welcomed some 7,000 anguished airline passengers following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Their planes had been rerouted when US airspace closed after the Al-Qaeda strikes on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, which killed nearly 3,000 people.

The story highlights &quot;being there for each other, being open, being engaged and knowing that drawing together through dark times is what is very best about the human spirit,&quot; said Trudeau in a brief speech prior to the performance, footage of which was published online by US media outlets.

Afterwards the Canadian prime minister praised a &quot;wonderful and moving show,&quot; and paid tribute to the cast and crew.

Since Trump took office, Trudeau has worked to forge links with the new US administration while dissociating himself from the Republican leader&#39;s most controversial positions -- notably his hard line on immigration.

(AFP)

'Come From Away' is set in a small Canada town that welcomed some 7,000 anguished airline passengers following the 9/11 attacks

Canada's Justin Trudeau invited President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka to attend a Broadway musical celebrating Canadian hospitality towards foreigners following the 9/11 attacks. Ivanka Trump and the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, were guests of honour of the prime minister for the Wednesday night performance of "Come From Away," a Trudeau spokesperson told AFP. The Canadian Consulate had booked some 600 seats at Broadway's Schoenfeld Theater for the show, which made its official Broadway debut March 12. "Come From Away" is set in a small Newfoundland town that welcomed some 7,000 anguished airline passengers following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Their planes had been rerouted when US airspace closed after the Al-Qaeda strikes on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, which killed nearly 3,000 people. The story highlights "being there for each other, being open, being engaged and knowing that drawing together through dark times is what is very best about the human spirit," said Trudeau in a brief speech prior to the performance, footage of which was published online by US media outlets. Afterwards the Canadian prime minister praised a "wonderful and moving show," and paid tribute to the cast and crew. Since Trump took office, Trudeau has worked to forge links with the new US administration while dissociating himself from the Republican leader's most controversial positions -- notably his hard line on immigration. (AFP)

Subtle hint? Trudeau invites Trump daughter to Broadway show about hospitality to foreigners

With Islamophobia back into the limelight this election season in the United States following Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump&#39;s idea to ban Muslims from entering the US, the Sikh community in New York shares how Sikhism is often confused with Islam here.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in response to Trump had brought in Khizr Khan, who criticised trump, highlighting the story of his son, who fought for the United States and died during the ongoing Iraq war.

This is what the New York cab drivers - many of whom are Sikh -&nbsp;but are mistaken for being Muslim, have to say.

Nearly half of the taxi drivers in the city are South Asian and two of every 10 are Sikh.

&quot;It&#39;s a good way to make a living because I have no other qualifications, and it&#39;s a way to support your family. But sometimes they call us Osama Bin Laden here,&quot; said Ravinder Singh who has been a cab driver in NYC for 20 years. &quot;I feel they are ignorant - they don&#39;t know Sikhism,&quot; he added. The turbans confuse people, he said.

&quot;It hurts me - I&#39;m not part of OBL. We are a very peaceful country. We love this country. We&#39;re living in this country and growing our family,&quot; Ravinder adds.

&quot;They are misunderstanding us. They think people with beards and turbans are Muslims,&quot; says Satnam Singh, who has been driving around New York for the last 14 years.&nbsp;&quot;They say things like go back to India,&quot; he adds.

The two agree&nbsp;that the racist remarks come with the job. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s horrible - I can&#39;t run behind them, or teach them or fight them,&quot; Satnam Singh adds.&nbsp;&quot;I understand that people don&#39;t understand me. If they try to listen to me, I say I am not a Muslim, I am a Sikh.&quot;

&quot;We try to explain who we are, what is our religion, how peaceful we are, they don&#39;t hate Sikhism, they hate Muslims. They say Salam Waliqum - I say I am not Muslim, and I am Sikh and this is the way of our life and they feel happy,&quot; Ravinder Singh says.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;ve been in Michigan. I bought a convenience store. The white people in the white village hate us. But in New York, I never felt that. We try to help people how much we can. We are not bad people. The first lesson is to love human beings, help each other, help the poor, and don&#39;t discriminate anybody,&quot; he adds.

The discrimination, however, is not as bad as in other parts of the country.&nbsp;But they do want people to understand what Sikhism is all about. For now, they educate one passenger at a time.

&quot;It&#39;ll take time - but one day people will realise we are nice people,&quot; Ravinder adds.

It&#39;s been 15 years since the September 11 attacks. Many Sikhs in NYC say that they have been targeted since then. But they say it&#39;s still not as bad as in other parts of the country, where even Gurudwaras have been attacked. The fundamental reason&nbsp;behind this violence is ignorance, and a lack of understanding of what their religion stands for.

(WION)

Nearly half of the cab drivers in New York city are South Asian and two of every 10 are Sikh

With Islamophobia back into the limelight this election season in the United States following Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's idea to ban Muslims from entering the US, the Sikh community in New York shares how Sikhism is often confused with Islam here. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in response to Trump had brought in Khizr Khan, who criticised trump, highlighting the story of his son, who fought for the United States and died during the ongoing Iraq war. This is what the New York cab drivers - many of whom are Sikh - but are mistaken for being Muslim, have to say. Nearly half of the taxi drivers in the city are South Asian and two of every 10 are Sikh. "It's a good way to make a living because I have no other qualifications, and it's a way to support your family. But sometimes they call us Osama Bin Laden here," said Ravinder Singh who has been a cab driver in NYC for 20 years. "I feel they are ignorant - they don't know Sikhism," he added. The turbans confuse people, he said. "It hurts me - I'm not part of OBL. We are a very peaceful country. We love this country. We're living in this country and growing our family," Ravinder adds. "They are misunderstanding us. They think people with beards and turbans are Muslims," says Satnam Singh, who has been driving around New York for the last 14 years. "They say things like go back to India," he adds. The two agree that the racist remarks come with the job. "It's horrible - I can't run behind them, or teach them or fight them," Satnam Singh adds. "I understand that people don't understand me. If they try to listen to me, I say I am not a Muslim, I am a Sikh." "We try to explain who we are, what is our religion, how peaceful we are, they don't hate Sikhism, they hate Muslims. They say Salam Waliqum - I say I am not Muslim, and I am Sikh and this is the way of our life and they feel happy," Ravinder Singh says. "I've been in Michigan. I bought a convenience store. The white people in the white village hate us. But in New York, I never felt that. We try to help people how much we can. We are not bad people. The first lesson is to love human beings, help each other, help the poor, and don't discriminate anybody," he adds. The discrimination, however, is not as bad as in other parts of the country. But they do want people to understand what Sikhism is all about. For now, they educate one passenger at a time. "It'll take time - but one day people will realise we are nice people," Ravinder adds. It's been 15 years since the September 11 attacks. Many Sikhs in NYC say that they have been targeted since then. But they say it's still not as bad as in other parts of the country, where even Gurudwaras have been attacked. The fundamental reason behind this violence is ignorance, and a lack of understanding of what their religion stands for. (WION)

US election 2016: Sikhism often confused with Islam, say Sikh voters

While 9/11 failed to bring America to its knees as Al-Qaeda hoped, it ushered in an era of instability, especially in the Middle East, that Islamic extremists have skilfully exploited, analysts say. 
 
By reacting with a doctrine of &quot;Shock and Awe&quot; and invading Iraq in 2003, the US committed a series of missteps that indirectly helped foment jihadism, say critics. 
 
Founded in the 1980s, Al-Qaeda was gravely weakened after being expelled from Afghanistan in 2001 by the US-led invasion of the country that had harboured the terror group&#39;s leader Osama bin Laden. 
 
But the occupation of Iraq offered them a new opportunity, underlining how jihadist groups have resisted attempts to vanquish them and have now expanded into franchises in the Middle East, Asia, the West and parts of Africa. 
 
&quot;September 11 was the culmination of several years of planning by Al-Qaeda of &#39;the big one&#39;,&quot; Didier Le Bret, who recently resigned as France&#39;s national intelligence coordinator to run in next year&#39;s parliamentary election, told AFP. 
 
&quot;Above all it marked the start of a realisation (by the Americans) of their vulnerability on home soil. And that is something they cannot bear.&quot; 
 
He said the invasion illustrated the dangers of acting first and worrying about the consequences afterwards. 
 
Among the consequences was the damage done to America&#39;s reputation by the torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, the camp opened by George W Bush at a US base in Cuba to hold &quot;enemy combattants&quot; captured around the world. 
 
For Le Bret, the conflict in Iraq was &quot;an unfinished war, built on a lie&quot; that ended up destabilising the whole region. 
 
Jean-Pierre Filiu, professor of Middle East studies at Sciences-Po University in Paris, said it also squandered support for the US among its allies. 
 
&quot;The US enjoyed unprecedented international solidarity in its campaign against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda (in Afghanistan),&quot; he said. &quot;But after that campaign, which was crowned with success within a few weeks, the Neoconversatives imposed a strategy of a &#39;global war on terror&#39; which reignited global jihad.&quot; 
 
Tai chi terror tactics 
 
The US presence in Iraq made it a magnet for jihadists, with Al-Qaeda in Iraq becoming a major force in the post-war insurgency that later morphed into the Islamic State (IS) group. 
 
IS extremists, seeing power vacuums created through weak governance in Iraq and a civil war in Syria, grabbed territory in both countries after declaring their &quot;caliphate&quot; for Muslims in 2014. 
 
Spurred by social media and the forces of globalisation, they have since encouraged Muslims to take up arms against the West which they see as an ideological enemy. 
 
While conducting a campaign of mass murder and terror in territories under their control, they have spread their tentacles worldwide, inspiring or carrying out attacks in France, Germany, the United States, Turkey or Bangladesh. 
 
&quot;Daesh, or the so-called Islamic State, was born out of the alliance of two totalitarianisms, that of Al-Qaeda and the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein,&quot; Filiu said. 
 
&quot;Instead of taking the measure of this new threat, Barack Obama was for a long time in denial, allowing the emergence of a &#39;terror caliphate&#39; that has spread around the world,&quot; he argued. 
 
Obama&#39;s reticence to commit the US to a new battle in the Middle East reflected the caution of a nation scarred by Iraq, where thousands of US troops and tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians died during the post-invasion insurgency.&nbsp; 
 
Bin Laden&#39;s son said 9/11 was aimed at setting up a grand showdown with America in Afghanistan where the Soviet army had been defeated by US-backed mujahideen. 
 
&quot;I was surprised the Americans took the bait&quot;, Omar bin Laden, one of 11 sons, told Rolling Stone magazine in 2010, a year before his father&#39;s death at the hands of US special forces. 
 
By forcing Washington out of its isolationism and luring it into Iraq, bin Laden was using what historian Yuval Noah Harari calls the &quot;tai-chi masters method.&quot; 
 
&quot;The terrorists hope that even though they can barely dent the enemy&#39;s material, power, fear and confusion will cause the enemy to misuse its strength,&quot; the author of Sapiens, a history of humanity, wrote in The Guardian newspaper last year. 
 
&quot;Terrorists calculate that when the enraged enemy uses its massive power against them, it will raise a much more violent military and political storm than the terrorists themselves could ever create.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

By reacting with the doctrine and invading Iraq in 2003, the US committed a series of missteps that indirectly helped foment jihadism

While 9/11 failed to bring America to its knees as Al-Qaeda hoped, it ushered in an era of instability, especially in the Middle East, that Islamic extremists have skilfully exploited, analysts say. By reacting with a doctrine of "Shock and Awe" and invading Iraq in 2003, the US committed a series of missteps that indirectly helped foment jihadism, say critics. Founded in the 1980s, Al-Qaeda was gravely weakened after being expelled from Afghanistan in 2001 by the US-led invasion of the country that had harboured the terror group's leader Osama bin Laden. But the occupation of Iraq offered them a new opportunity, underlining how jihadist groups have resisted attempts to vanquish them and have now expanded into franchises in the Middle East, Asia, the West and parts of Africa. "September 11 was the culmination of several years of planning by Al-Qaeda of 'the big one'," Didier Le Bret, who recently resigned as France's national intelligence coordinator to run in next year's parliamentary election, told AFP. "Above all it marked the start of a realisation (by the Americans) of their vulnerability on home soil. And that is something they cannot bear." He said the invasion illustrated the dangers of acting first and worrying about the consequences afterwards. Among the consequences was the damage done to America's reputation by the torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, the camp opened by George W Bush at a US base in Cuba to hold "enemy combattants" captured around the world. For Le Bret, the conflict in Iraq was "an unfinished war, built on a lie" that ended up destabilising the whole region. Jean-Pierre Filiu, professor of Middle East studies at Sciences-Po University in Paris, said it also squandered support for the US among its allies. "The US enjoyed unprecedented international solidarity in its campaign against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda (in Afghanistan)," he said. "But after that campaign, which was crowned with success within a few weeks, the Neoconversatives imposed a strategy of a 'global war on terror' which reignited global jihad." Tai chi terror tactics The US presence in Iraq made it a magnet for jihadists, with Al-Qaeda in Iraq becoming a major force in the post-war insurgency that later morphed into the Islamic State (IS) group. IS extremists, seeing power vacuums created through weak governance in Iraq and a civil war in Syria, grabbed territory in both countries after declaring their "caliphate" for Muslims in 2014. Spurred by social media and the forces of globalisation, they have since encouraged Muslims to take up arms against the West which they see as an ideological enemy. While conducting a campaign of mass murder and terror in territories under their control, they have spread their tentacles worldwide, inspiring or carrying out attacks in France, Germany, the United States, Turkey or Bangladesh. "Daesh, or the so-called Islamic State, was born out of the alliance of two totalitarianisms, that of Al-Qaeda and the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein," Filiu said. "Instead of taking the measure of this new threat, Barack Obama was for a long time in denial, allowing the emergence of a 'terror caliphate' that has spread around the world," he argued. Obama's reticence to commit the US to a new battle in the Middle East reflected the caution of a nation scarred by Iraq, where thousands of US troops and tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians died during the post-invasion insurgency. Bin Laden's son said 9/11 was aimed at setting up a grand showdown with America in Afghanistan where the Soviet army had been defeated by US-backed mujahideen. "I was surprised the Americans took the bait", Omar bin Laden, one of 11 sons, told Rolling Stone magazine in 2010, a year before his father's death at the hands of US special forces. By forcing Washington out of its isolationism and luring it into Iraq, bin Laden was using what historian Yuval Noah Harari calls the "tai-chi masters method." "The terrorists hope that even though they can barely dent the enemy's material, power, fear and confusion will cause the enemy to misuse its strength," the author of Sapiens, a history of humanity, wrote in The Guardian newspaper last year. "Terrorists calculate that when the enraged enemy uses its massive power against them, it will raise a much more violent military and political storm than the terrorists themselves could ever create." (AFP)

'Shock and awe' response to 9/11 helped jihad's spread: Analysts

Families of 9/11 victims can sue Saudi Arabia for damage, the US&nbsp;House of Representatives has voted. 
 
The US House passed a voice vote in favour of the bill just two days ahead of the 15th anniversary of the World Trade Centre attack that killed around 3,000 people. 
 
The legislation is likely to shake up US-Saudi bilateral ties. 
 
Outgoing US President Barack Obama will veto the bill, the White House said on Friday.&nbsp; 
 
The House of Representatives&#39;s legislation will have to be passed by the Senate and agreed by the president before it becomes a law. 
 
In July, a document suggested that one of the hijackers in the 9/11 terrorist attack had connections with the Saudi government. The 28-page report also suggested a possible nexus between the Saudi royal family and al Qaeda, althoug it failed to verify its claims. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

This comes after a July document suggested that one of the 9/11 hijackers had connections with the Saudi government

Families of 9/11 victims can sue Saudi Arabia for damage, the US House of Representatives has voted. The US House passed a voice vote in favour of the bill just two days ahead of the 15th anniversary of the World Trade Centre attack that killed around 3,000 people. The legislation is likely to shake up US-Saudi bilateral ties. Outgoing US President Barack Obama will veto the bill, the White House said on Friday. The House of Representatives's legislation will have to be passed by the Senate and agreed by the president before it becomes a law. In July, a document suggested that one of the hijackers in the 9/11 terrorist attack had connections with the Saudi government. The 28-page report also suggested a possible nexus between the Saudi royal family and al Qaeda, althoug it failed to verify its claims. (WION with inputs from agencies)

US House allows 9/11 families to sue Saudi Arabia for damage

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