Tag: religion

Traveler found with ‘human remains’ in bag told airport staff they were for ‘rituals’

A Florida traveler caught with suspected human remains told airport staff they were for ‘rituals’, border officials said. 

The horrifying discovery was made at Tampa International Airport as the passenger was declaring 10 cigars. 

Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists said they recovered what appeared to be human remains, including part of a skull inside a foil-wrapped duffel bag. 

They also uncovered a host of illicit items including prohibited plants, even more cigars and a foil-wrapped duffel bag.

When questioned, the traveler said the remains were ‘for rituals’ according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Director of Field Operations Carlos C. Martel, who posted about the strange discovery last week on X.

He said the items were ‘seized and destroyed’ due to ‘serious health risks.’ 

Martel also took the opportunity to quip about the situation, saying: ‘we never know what baggage may hold, but smugglers should know we’ll always have a bone to pick.’ 

It is unclear where the traveler was going to or coming from or whether they were detained. The case has been handed over to the Department of Homeland Security for investigation.

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Cicero megachurch pastor charged in connection with alleged child sex trafficking operation

A west suburban megachurch pastor is facing federal charges connected to an alleged child sex trafficking operation.

Neighbors told ABC7 that Cicero’s Light of the World Church at 1400 South 58th Court is popular. It is part an international church known by its Spanish name, La Luz Del Mundo.

But the church was closed on Tuesday after federal agents arrested Pastor Joram Núñez Joaquin last Wednesday during a 5 a.m. service, his attorney told ABC7.

Núñez Joaquin’s attorney provided photos in a court motion to try and get the pastor released from federal detention. He is named in a federal case involving California church leaders.

Federal prosecutors claim Núñez Joaquin, from the church’s Cicero branch, posed as an attorney and tried to coerced victims in California to not report alleged incidents. Nuñez Joaquin has pleaded not guilty.

Also last week, Naasón Joaquín García, an alleged relative of Núñez Joaquin, was taken into federal custody.

A newly unsealed indictment out of New York alleges García and co-defendants exploited the church for decades to enable the systemic sexual abuse of children and women for the sexual gratification of García and his father, who died in 2014.

García had been serving a more than 16-year sentence after pleading guilty in 2022 to two state counts.

In Chicago, Núñez Joaquin was in a courtroom in the Dirksen Federal Building on Monday, charged with racketeering conspiracy.

His attorney told the judge that Núñez Joaquin is a 37-year-old married father of three children who is not charged with any violence or sex abuse and should be released.

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Dearborn’s Muslim mayor tells Christian he’s ‘not welcome’ in debate on honoring pro-terror Arab leader

At a Dearborn City Council meeting last week, Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud told local resident Edward “Ted” Barham, a Christian, that he was “not welcome” in the city after Barham raised concerns about new street signs honoring Arab American News publisher Osama Siblani.

FOX 2 Detroit reported that the signs honoring Siblani were placed at intersections on Warren Avenue by Wayne County, not the City of Dearborn. But the mayor escalated the debate, telling Barham, “Although you live here, you are not welcome here.”

Barham introduced himself as “Ted Barham, Dearborn resident,” and objected to two intersections being renamed after Siblani.

He said, “He’s a promoter of Hezbollah and Hamas” before quoting past remarks from Siblani, including, “He talks about how the blood of the martyrs irrigates the land of Palestine … whether we are in Michigan and whether we are in Yemen. Believe me, everyone should fight within his means. They will fight with stones, others will fight with guns, others fight with planes, drones, and rockets.” 

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Jasmine Crockett’s Pastor Mocks Charlie Kirk’s Assassination and Christian Faith – Then He Takes a “Temporary Medical Leave of Absence”

A pastor in Texas with connections to one of Congress’s most reprehensible members decided to use his position to dance on the grave of Charlie Kirk following his assassination. Now, he is conveniently taking time off for a supposed medical procedure.

As The Gateway Pundit reported, TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, last week.

It was later revealed that the suspect was identified as Tyler Robinson, 22, of Utah. Robinson was reportedly turned in by his father, who contacted authorities through a minister connected to law enforcement.

A good pastor would use this opportunity to ask his fellow Christians to pray for the Kirk family. But Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, saw fit to not only make light of the Kirk assassination but also make fun of his faith in God.

One fascinating factoid about Haynes: he is the pastor of far-left, race-baiting Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX). Could Crockett have acquired some of her hatred from this supposed ‘man of God ‘?

“Have you thought about the fact that this week in Utah that a white “Christian” got killed by a white Christian?” Haynes asked his pew members on Sunday. “And the next day, HBCUs were under threat!”

“Now, how did we get here?” he continued, throwing up his arms in mock confusion. “Oh, that’s called white-on-white crime.”

Making light of an assassination and trashing someone’s faith can only cause Jesus to weep.

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Montreal church fights back after city issues $2,500 prayer service fine

A Montreal church is refusing to quietly pay a $2,500 ticket for holding a prayer service. Instead, Ministerios Restauración Church is fighting back, filing a legal defence and a Charter challenge in Quebec Superior Court that accuses the City of Montreal of abusing its power and violating fundamental rights.

The fine was issued after a July 25, 2025, worship service featuring American musician Sean Feucht.

Roughly 150 people attended the free event, which was disrupted when anti-Christian protesters tossed a smoke bomb into the sanctuary.

Police and inspectors were on site, but rather than punishing the vandals, city officials targeted the congregation issuing a bylaw ticket claiming the prayer service wasn’t.

Lawyers funded by The Democracy Fund (TDF) have filed a not-guilty plea in municipal court while also launching a Superior Court appeal. That judicial review asks the court to:

  • Quash the fine and halt proceedings,
  • Declare that prayer and musical worship are legitimate uses of a church building, and
  • Award $10,000 in damages for what the filing calls intentional violations of Charter rights.

The appeal argues that the City of Montreal trampled on rights protected by both the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly, and equality without discrimination on the basis of faith or belief.

TDF lawyers also say city officials crossed the line into outright hostility toward religion. Inspectors threatened enforcement before the service, and the mayor’s office publicly condemned the event as being “against values of inclusion, solidarity, and respect.”

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Virginia Imam: ‘World a Better Place’ Without Charlie Kirk Who ‘Died Disrespecting Black People’

The world is “a better place” without Charlie Kirk, according to Virginia Imam Ismail Saleem, who accused the recently slain conservative activist of having died “disrespecting black people” and thus unworthy of sympathy, as he declared that the Turning Point USA founder is “getting what he deserves” and the grief of his supporters “makes me smile.”

In a Friday sermon in Norfolk, Virginia, Islamic preacher Ismail Saleem spoke to the congregation, slamming both Kirk and those expressing sympathy over his death, accusing mourners of misplaced morality.

“You see, the problem today is with empathy. And the problem that we see currently in these last couple of days is the empathy is for the family and friends of the racist person [Charlie Kirk],” he stated. “Does anybody hope that this man’s children grow up to be like him or continue his legacy and his work?”

“Some people empathize because they are not good people themselves,” he added.

In the clip, published by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), which specializes in monitoring sermons and media in Arabic and Islamic communities, Saleem’s comments escalate further.

“He died disrespecting black people, so I don’t care about him at all,” Saleem said. “The world is a better place without him.” 

Saleem, who showed no remorse for his stance, doubled down on his reaction to Kirk’s death.

“He gets what he deserves — he’s getting what he deserves — right now,” he continued. “And it makes me smile. Their tears make me smile. Their anger makes me smile.”

The Norfolk mosque leader also attacked the notion of empathy toward Kirk’s family and friends, stating that many people are ignoring what he claims are far greater tragedies.

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“It’s A Sign Of Oppression!” – Austria Plans Headscarf Ban For Girls Under-14 In Schools

The Austrian government will move ahead this week with plans to ban headscarves for girls under 14 in schools, a measure officials frame as promoting equality.

In an interview with Bild cited by Welt, Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) said, “I want girls, regardless of their religion, to have the same opportunities in our free and Western society. And that’s why I see the headscarf for girls under 14 as a sign of oppression.”

The proposed law sets out a staged response to violations: first, a conversation with the girl concerned, then with her parents, followed by possible involvement of youth welfare authorities. Repeated breaches could result in administrative penalties. Plakolm stressed that the measure would apply only in schools and educational institutions, not in public spaces.

“Public space is rightly a very well-protected area, and that’s something that probably wouldn’t stand up in a constitutional court,” she said.

The minister also linked the proposal to broader changes in Austria’s migration and integration policy.

She said the government plans a “three-year integration phase” for asylum seekers and migrants, during which they will receive only an integration allowance rather than full social benefits.

“There will be no social assistance during this integration phase, but only an integration allowance, and the amount will depend on how willing people are to fulfill their integration obligations,” Plakolm explained.

The move follows an announcement made by Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) in June for newly arriving children and teenagers to undergo a one-semester integration course prior to starting school.

Under the new system, children will first attend a semester-long orientation class where they will acquire basic German language skills to facilitate communication, fundamental school skills, such as writing, using scissors, and following classroom etiquette, and social values, including respect, equality, and tolerance.

The opposition Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) insisted the move manages the symptoms and fails to address the root cause of mass immigration.

A previous headscarf ban in elementary schools, introduced in 2019 by a coalition of conservatives and the Freedom Party, was struck down by Austria’s Constitutional Court. Plakolm argued that the new version comes with accompanying measures aimed at helping young women live self-determined lives. She emphasized that “the new law is not a measure against Islam.”

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Democrat judge in America’s ‘Muslim capital’ BANS gay pride flags after Islamic outrage

A federal judge has upheld a ban on gay pride flags after a years-long battle by an all-Muslim city council to remove the rainbow because it did not reflect their community’s values.

The court found that Hamtramck, an enclave surrounded by Detroit with a significant Muslim immigrant population, did not violate the US Constitution when it banned the flag from public buildings in 2023.

After a pride flag was flown in the city during Pride Month in 2021 and 2022, the city council said it clashed with the beliefs of some residents, so they voted to allow only five flags to be flown on publicly-owned property. 

US District Judge David Lawson, who was appointed by Bill Clinton, dismissed a lawsuit that was brought against the city for its flag restrictions, saying the ban was okay because the policy targeted all private flags. 

‘Hamtramck’s refusal to display the Gay Pride flag did not violate the Constitution,’ the judge said. 

Hamtramck has a population of around 27,000, and more than 40% of its residents are immigrants. A large proportion of them are Muslim with Yemeni or Bangladeshi descent. 

The city is right next to Dearborn, a larger enclave city in the Detroit area that the Wall Street Journal once called ‘America’s Jihad Capital’ in a piece that claimed the city’s leadership supported Hamas and Hezbollah. The publication was widely criticized for the moniker. 

The Hamtramck flag ban restricted public property to only display the American flag, Michigan flag, city flag and flags that represent the ‘international character’ of the city’s population. 

Businesses and residents are still allowed to fly whatever they want on private property. 

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Relative Spills on Lance Twiggs’ Relationship with Charlie Kirk Assassin: ‘Full of Evil and Hatred,’ Feared He Might Hurt Someone, Raged Against Christians and Conservatives

A relative of Lance Twiggs has confirmed he is in a romantic relationship with Tyler Robinson, and that he “harboured animosity” for conservatives and Christians.

Robinson is the 22-year-old accused of assassinating conservative icon Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

It has been reported by multiple outlets that Robinson, who grew up in a conservative Utah family, lived with a transgender partner named Lance Twiggs at the time of the shooting.

The relative, who asked to remain anonymous, told Wisconsin Right Now that Twiggs is “full of evil and hatred.”

WRN reports:

The shaken relative, who almost broke down into tears at one point during the interview, asked not to be named. WRN tracked down the family member through datamining sites that showed the familial linkage to Twiggs.

The relative alleged that Lance Twiggs is “not mentally well at all.” Asked whether Lance was transgender and transitioning, the family member alleged, “This is true. I can’t be sure of when it started. I have suspicions it would have been about four years.”

The family member alleged to WRN that Robinson was Lance Twiggs’ boyfriend. “I knew he had a boyfriend. I never met him. None of us had.” The relative was not sure how long they were together.

Asked how the relative knew Robinson was allegedly Lance Twiggs’ boyfriend, the relative responded: “Lance disclosed that. Not to me directly. He wanted to have lunch with other family members to introduce his boyfriend.”

“I know the reason I had nothing to do with him is he (Lance Twiggs) is full of evil and hatred,” the family member alleged about Lance Twiggs. “While this is extremely shocking, I was afraid he might hurt someone,” they said, claiming this belief was based on “things he would say to family members.”

The relative would not elaborate on what caused that belief.

They explained that they had not seen Twiggs in at least four years and had not met Robinson.

“I did not want him around my personal family. He’s not a healthy person. He is very angry with anyone who is supportive of conservative ideals and Christian values,” the relative explained.

They added that the family is devastated, especially because they liked Kirk.

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German farmer investigated over gift from Russia

A farmer is facing criminal prosecution in Germany over receiving a small Easter gift from a Russian friend. The man is now accused of violating sanctions and could face up to five years behind bars.

A public prosecutor’s office in the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania confirmed on Friday that a criminal case had indeed been opened against a local man on suspicion of violating the restrictions.

The case dates back several months, to when a German customs office intercepted a small package which was sent to the farmer from Russia. According to the broadcaster NDR, the package contained a piece of soap, a wooden figurine, and a CD – worth less than €27 ($32) in total. All of the items were on the sanctions list, the report said, adding that the customs office had confiscated the package and a probe was opened into it.

The farmer, who has been identified as Rudolf Denissen by NDR, could face between three months and five years of imprisonment if found guilty. The prosecutor’s office also requested an official written statement from him, as well as “complete personal details and information on net monthly income.”

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