Latest news with #prophet
Malay Mail
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
LeMan magazine editor held in Turkey after Erdogan brands cartoon a ‘despicable provocation' insulting the Prophet
ISTANBUL, July 13 — The top editor of Turkey's satirical magazine LeMan has been arrested, media and lawyers said yesterday, the latest detention over accusations that the magazine had published a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed. Four magazine staffers were detained in early July over a cartoon that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has labelled a 'despicable provocation' and a 'hate crime,' warning its authors will have to answer for 'disrespecting the prophet.' The magazine and its staff have vigorously denied any link between an illustration published in the magazine, which features a person named Muhammed, and Islam's Prophet Mohammed. The name Muhammed, which has various spellings, is among the most popular names the Muslim faithful give their children. On Saturday the magazine's editor-in-chief, Aslan Ozdemir, was arrested as he flew back to Turkey from France, the MSLA human rights organisation wrote on X. Several media outlets, including the DHA agency and the T24 website, released images showing Ozdemir leaving the plane, handcuffed. The drawing in question shows two characters meeting in the sky above a city devastated by bombs. One is named Muhammed and the other Musa. Cartoonist Dogan Pehlevan said the drawing was meant 'to talk about peace' and condemned 'provocateurs.' 'I have been drawing in Turkey for many years. The first rule you learn is not to address religious issues and not to mock religion,' he told police in his deposition, according to the T24 news site. 'I have always adhered to this principle. I reject the accusations levelled against me,' he added. LeMan's editorial manager Tuncay Akgun told AFP that the drawing in question 'has nothing to do with the Prophet Mohammed. We would never take such a risk.' 'The character is a Muslim killed in Gaza. He was called Mohammed (like) over 200 million people in the Muslim world,' he said. — AFP
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Yahoo
Michigan church shooter told pastor that he was a prophet and ‘heard from God'
The man accused of attempting to carry out a mass shooting at a church in suburban Detroit had previously debated with the group's pastor about religion, telling him he had 'heard from God.' Months before Brian Browning's attempted attack on Sunday service at the CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, Michigan, he had visited to debate with Pastor Bobby Kelly Jr, Fox 2 Detroit reports. Speaking the day after Browning's planned rampage was thwarted by church security, Kelly said the 31-year-old man had said he was a prophet. 'He said he heard from God,' the pastor said on Monday. Recalling their first meeting earlier this year, Kelly said: 'He had some questions about the Bible. He kind of challenged me on some things in the Bible, and so we went back and forth about some scripture for a little bit.' At a second meeting in February, it became apparent that the man was seeking help, said the pastor: 'He seemed to be genuine about needing some help.' He continued: 'I don't know exactly what it was, cause he didn't say — didn't say it was mental health. He didn't say it was an issue that he had or any of that, he just said you know, 'can you help me with some things?' and I said sure.' Browning also had a family connection to CrossPointe Community Church. His mother had been a member of the group for months, which Kelly confirmed. 'She was recently baptized at one of our services, I believe in October of last year, and we've been knowing her for many years,' he said. Despite these connections to the church, it is not clear why Browning, who had no prior criminal history, allegedly attempted a mass shooting of parishioners. He was armed with a handgun, an AR-15, and 500 rounds of ammunition, according to police. His motive remains unknown. There was no connection to military strikes in the Middle East, as had been suggested online, given the timing of his actions, the morning after U.S. bombers attacked Iranian nuclear sites, amid Israel's war on Iran. Browning was shot dead by church security guards, having been run down by a Ford SUV driven by the church's deacon. One of the security guards sustained a gunshot wound to the leg. City of Wayne Police spent hours on Sunday investigating the scene before reporting details in the evening. Browning was formally identified some hours later. Police chief Ryan Strong thanked those present for their quick reaction to the threat, saying: "We are grateful for the heroic actions of the church's staff members, who undoubtedly saved many lives and prevented a large-scale mass shooting.'
