Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
EVERY WEEKDAY evening, TheJournal.ie brings you the five things you need to know by 5pm.
1. #GREEN LIGHT: The Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has criticised the use of green lights on taxi roofs as “inherently racist” and says they will have to be removed from the vehicles. His comments come after an investigation by TheJournal.ie into the use of the lights.
2. #GALLAGHER: Former presidential election candidate Seán Gallagher has criticised RTÉ over its handling of the ‘Twittergate’ controversy which erupted on the Frontline progamme during an election debate. Speaking publicly for the first time about the incident, Gallagher accused the broadcaster of “going into defence mode” and compared its response to how the Catholic Church had reacted to allegations of abuse.
3. #HACKING: The former editor of News of the World editor and CEO of News International Rebekah Brooks will face criminal charges arising from the tabloid newspaper phone hacking scandal in Britain, according to prosecutors. The Crown prosecution Service has also confirmed that her husband Charlie Brooks will also be prosecuted, over allegations of obstruction of justice.
4. #AIR STRIKES: EU naval forces have carried out air strikes against pirate targets on the Somali coast. A spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said that the strikes were part of a wider approach to tackle piracy.
5. #NEW BOY: Francois Hollande has been sworn in as the new president of France. From driving a Citroen down the Champs-Élysées to taking possession of nuclear codes, here are seven things Hollande did today as he became president.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Still nobody with balls to question him getting involved out there?
Do you think the Egyptians may have questioned him?
If they had any inkling that he was in the Muslim Brotherhood, do you think they would have released him?
Do you think the Irish Authorities believe he is a terrorist?
@Tweety McTweeter: Maybe he was up to something but the fact is they didn’t have hard evidence and as well as that they kept him locked up for four years without a trial is disgraceful whatever way you look at it.
@Tweety McTweeter: an inkling? Em its EU headquaters are in clonskeagh, his father is the head Shiek.
https://www.google.ie/amp/s/dialogueireland.wordpress.com/2016/07/27/prime-time-documentary-on-the-muslim-brotherhood-european-hq-situated-at-the-clonskeagh-mosque/amp/
Also homophobic: https://www.google.ie/amp/www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/ibrahim-halawa-dublin-egypt-13733984.amp
@Shawn O’Ceallaghan:
So, why did the Egyptians release him?
@Tweety McTweeter: Cos they were also sick of reading all the bloody journal articles about him.
@Paul: have a read of Conor Bradys piece in the Sunday Times.
@Tweety McTweeter: exile is just as good.
@Tweety McTweeter: Because some other idiots were prepared to take him off their hands.
@Tweety McTweeter: the Irish authorities will believe what they are told which more than likely is not the truth
How could they know otherwise?
Paddy ambassador attending a gala in a Bedouin tent ?
@Paul: Of course they know he was involved, this is just the start of it-UK IS FULL they’re after Ireland now – 400 Returning Jihadis in UK TO BE OFFERED COUNCIL HOUSES TO STOP THEM COMMITTING TERROR ATTACKS! Keep them out of Ireland – Barbaric religion & culture
@Tweety McTweeter: The irish goverment got him out
@Tedser: Can you put up a link please
@Paul: This is the irish media we are talking about, we would need a outside investigative journals to come here to do the work for them.
@Tweety McTweeter: Do you not think it is fair and just that Sister Stanislaus Kennedy who was honoured with the overall Woman of the Year Award for 2017 got a mention at the end of the article should have been given a bit more attention for her award or the fact that none of the other recipients got a look in.
Do you agree that we encourage this family to award their work in trying to enforce sharia law on The Irish people after so close to shaking off the awful religion that destroyed lives?
Do you think The Irish authorities spend our taxes fairly or honestly?
@Tweety McTweeter: proof
They hadn’t any but that does not mean he was not guilty of inciting violence or supporting the dangerous MB
They held him and his ilk for as long as they could and buckled under pressure from Ireland and O Gormans crowd
The other prisoners are jailed or are still incarcerated as they were not lucky enough to have dual citizenship ?
Of course he’s delighted to be back he supported a group which is now the pariah in Egypt.
@Diarmuid: I won’t shed a tear if he is unfortunate to choke on whatever else he scams us out of. Perhaps a change of Government here will stop his march but none of them that already exist.
@Tweety McTweeter: It is all to do with his father and him with his sisters should have known that they would be targets because of that…
@Robert Jones Smith: Deals and brown envelopes lol.
@Tweety McTweeter: He addressed a Muslim Brotherhood rally. That’s all we need to know.
@Diarmuid: Don’t be so stupid Diarmuid, nobody is saying anything that is not true.
@Paul: how do you know that?
@Jho Harris: nasty
@john: Who is nasty, me or The MB ?
I wonder if Irish Tatler were aware of the sisters’ facebook pages before deciding to give them an award…
Apparently they have a history of ‘liking’ some pretty unsavoury indviduals and actions.
@Avina Laaf: I’m no fan of all this but “apparently” is such a ridiculous thing to say before accusing somebody of something.
@Anto Curran: go have a look for yourself ..
@Avina Laaf: looks remarkably well for a fellow who was abused and starved in jail looks like Ireland bought the story
@Anto Curran:
Here are a few examples:
http://markhumphrys.com/halawa.html
As far as I know this page has been up for a considerable length of time – if it contained material that was faked or factually untrue they would be perfectly within their rights to sue or demand that the page is removed, but this doesn’t appear to have happened.
@Avina Laaf: I can’t believe Irish tatler have given an award to one of those people who dress up in medieval arab garb and try to impose their mad interpretation of religion on everyone. And the halawa sisters as well.
@Avina Laaf: I pity anyone so lacking in critical skills that they would reply on Mark Humphreys as an authoritative information source. He is obsessive and subjective as well as constantly making assertions that he says could be true or have not been disproven but for which he has no evidence such as the supposedly burnt destroyed passport.
@Fiona deFreyne:
So which one of his references to the sisters’ facebook pages do you think is faked? Be specific.
@Fiona deFreyne:
It’s hardly an example of critical thinking to automatically write-off everything that someone says purely because you don’t like the source.
@Avina Laaf: Humphreys is a well known loon.
@Fiona deFreyne: I’d believe Humphreys over the rubbish you keep spouting, ya crackpot
Tatler – on its last legs and looking for publicity- predict further big fall in readership post this idiotic media grab stunt
@Fiona deFreyne: so why have they not taking legal action against him? says it all really.
@Avina Laaf: Spreading like WILDFIRE they are – Barbaric race/culture/religion- look at the state of UK bowing down to their pc laws implemented by EU many moons ago
@john g mcgrath: CURRENT GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGING THIS, TELL ME AGAIN, Who is the Taoiseach now?
@Cathal Mac Einri:
I’ll refer you to my comment to Fiona – loon or otherwise, what specifically do you think is faked/false on his page?
@Fiona deFreyne: its taken from the sisters facebook page so none of it is fake. ..
@Fiona deFreyne: Fiona you are talking nonsense. What I say about the passport is here: http://markhumphrys.com/halawa.html#passport
I say nothing false and never have. I fully source all my facts and claims (unlike most people).
@Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: FYI, the issue with the Facebook pages is as follows.
Well-known maniac cleric Yusuf Al Qaradawi promotes wife beating, if done “lightly”. See screenshot from his book here:
http://markhumphrys.com/muslim.brotherhood.html#qaradawi
Further down the page, see screenshots of the Halawa sisters’ Facebook pages, showing the Tatler “Women of the Year” winners promoting Yusuf Al Qaradawi: http://markhumphrys.com/muslim.brotherhood.html#halawa.qaradawi
I link to where I got the screenshots from so you can verify it.
You can’t make this stuff up.
@Mark Humphrys: cheers for the links .. shocking stuff .
Many, many women in Ireland who are so much more deserving of recognition. This is gone beyond a joke at this point.
He’s looking very well. A picture of health.
@Feach News: this will end up like Suu Kyi and the novel award.
@Feach News: His two years of hunger strike doesn’t appear to have done him any harm then..??
I fear for Irelands future,
Did any of his sisters comment on being third – class citizens under the ideology they worship?
They fought and they fought… and they lied and they lied.
He’s looking very well despite being tortured for 4 years!!
@J Byrne: such compassion there j. Bravo.
@Diarmuid: but sure he’s Egyptian…he said it himself
Why does one Irish citizen get preferential treatment over another?
http://www.thejournal.ie/irish-government-refusing-help-cork-man-philippines-drugs-2996335-Oct2016/
@Arnold Lane: Because it doesn’t fit the multi cultural agenda
I feel sick
@Tony Stack: Id get that checked up mate. Might be catching.
Why on earth is this guy being feted?
Special Branch need to be all over him, his sisters and all and any of their collaborators.
@Diarmuid: easy up Kananagh QC
Unless you are proposing a mass trial based on countless posters on this and other forums for questioning elements of this saga you can stop the baseless rants about libel
There are hundreds of people who do not think all the facts have emerged pertaining to the event and have written them on this site backed up by numerous links in particular Mr Humphrys findings.
A libel case based on attacks of this chaps ethnicity or religion are not to be found on this site
Posters question the non included connection in these occurrences between Morsi ,MB and IS which is internationally recognised and resulting in Morsi being removed from power by the the vast majority of Egyptians not by an international decree .They are the masters of their own destiny
Halawas incarceration and the length of was not for us or any other country to decide only the Egyptian government themselves
Many felt it was too long yet others felt that he was detained like the others as a matter of national security and we should not be able to dictate how long that should be regardless of whether the person has dual citizenship
Due process had to win through and some would say it has , others would disagree hence the massive numbers of journal members who comment on this case.
No one doubts that the intervention of the Irish government expedited his release as others in his cell block have been jailed for similar offences.Many would also cite the tremendous cost to the tax payer over the past 4 years which will never been known as unbalanced .
Remember Gaddafi was feted by France and the Uk two years before the Arab spring having paid reparations for the Pan Am terrorist attack . It is now emerging that he wanted to introduce the Gold Dinar as currency for oil payment to give all deprived African nations a chance to better themselves and get a fair deal
Gold reserves would plummet and the US dollar devalued overnight
He was gone in 2011
Most people seek fairness and justice and most importantly the truth .
You are attempting to suffocate debate with your statement .
Women of the year award for attendees of a Mosque their father runs where they preach execution for gays & lesbians & ex Muslims. Its all on record. The media’s love affair with this family is mind boggling
And so his gravy train begins to take off
@ballbreaker: If this wasn’t so hypocritical you could laugh. Ireland’s self styled “Fashion Style Bible” where the front pages are frequently graced with models wearing little or nothing… gives a special award to the five Halawa sisters, because.. well because.
Despite the fact they’re covered from head to toe and are the polar opposite of half naked glitz and bling the Halawa sisters are avid supporters of Irish fashion and… oh wait… But that means it could only be the sisterhood creating ‘a special award’ and allowing them to politicise their situation. Oops.
@ballbreaker: more of a gravy plane so!
Would i be right in saying they are dropping the law suit now then?
@Noel James Doherty: Blackmailed by Muslims protected by EU Legislation
You have got to hand it to them though, they are making complete and absolute fools out of the Irish public
@Bob McTanned: You are so right Mr. McTanned. Embarrassing.
@Ste Rogers: Good comment ste, thanks
@Bob McTanned: They must be taking their lead from UK-won’t be long till terror attacks in Ireland – KEEP THEM OUT! They do not integrate! THEY PLOT DEVASTATION!
Questions for Ryan Rubridy
Ibrahim why did you go to that part of Egypt on vacation knowing the turbulent climate there at the time ?
Were you involved in the rally as a pro Morsi supporter or were you just caught up in the melee?
Are you aware of what Morsi was trying to impose on your fellow citizens,would you be happy with this ?
Do you or your sisters support MB?
Are you aware of MB connection with IS?
Would you have returned to Ireland full time had Morsi remained in power ?
Will you seek to have him freed?
Ad break to give smelling salts to the audience .
Women’s Tatler mustn’t do much research or not care much about other women if they are encouraging Muslim extremism by giving awards to subscribers.
What I can’t understand is why anyone would let their child out to what was practically a war zone?? Anyway what ever his intention was maybe the 4 years in jail has knocked the thuggery out of him…
Surprised that Varadkar didn’t declare a week of national celebration. Halawa must be so happy to have the use of govt jet. Absolutely disgusting — Zappone must be so proud of her “new” politics
Really great piece by Conor Brady in the Sunday Times.
First journalist to make a bit of sense in relation to this guy.
@Salvatore Mazzani: sorry,I don’t know how to link.Its well worth reading,
@Salvatore Mazzani: OK thanks
Someone is having a laugh
@EC P Ford: let me guess. Is if you?
Were they waiting for him to come home for the female circumcision ceremony?
Freedom of the city 2018
Member of the senate 2019
Fine Gall TD 2020
MEP 2025
Glorious path lies ahead of it continues this way for Mr Halawa from 4 years in a cell with his own ilk and unaffected and untouched by fellow prisoners given his dad is head bottlewasher in Dublin mosque
Blinkered Lemmings lauding the ludicrous
@Quentin Moriarty: No other prisoner would have dared to have an issue with him considering who his father is. He must have been a celeb prisoner coming from MB royalty. There really are clueless idiots in this country who never seem to consider or realise who they are dealing with.
What sort of idiots made that decision in Womens Tatler anyway. Just clueless!!
@Deano Cracow: President in 2040 (assuming snout in the trough Higgins is gone).
@John Ryan: If he ran for President he would have to answer awkward questions so it won’t happen in current circumstances. Yet as the Muslim population grows………
The lies that came out of those girls mouths snd still suring the state yo gey get their husbands over here .. but hey! Let’s give them an award !
@Damien Wallanger: that they wrte on holidays and stumbled across the rally .. the fact that he was being tortured which the Irish government said that it wasn’t true . ..plenty of lies out their mouths ..
Microcosm of everything wrong in Ireland today. Fawning over this bunch when our own are dying on the streets. I am convinced that the louder the politician in defence of this lot is directly proportionate to how useless they are. Not one will stick their heads over the parapet to ask the obvious questions that need answers.
Few weeks ago he was dying of starvation.
Enough already
Hahaha I reckon TheJournal.ie is just trolling the regular commenters on here now. LoL. (Pulls up chair and popcorn…)
@Tom Tom: yep….just stirring
Would have been more appropriate to give woman of the year to that lady Eileen Carr who penned the article last night. Y’know… a woman who actually did something selfless and of importance. Not this shit. What a joke.
at least they got into the hollaween spirit
What a joke of a country, bringing him back then giving them a prize! Unreal!
Big deal..
@John O’donnell: Really great comment. Thanks.
@John O’donnell: I am sure the Late Late show will welcome him and his family very soon.
@Alan Scott: what’s your point Alan?
GO AWAY.
@purple rain: No. You go away.
He didn’t age very well in prison. He looks about 45 !
@DL_8_5: Maybe he was actually one Of Zappones bearded ‘children’
pass the sick bag.
Should be renamed to the Irish titler.
yach, makes me sick ,thats there husbands allowed in then. i think everyone should complain to the goverment . They must be laughing there heads off .
really!!!!!!
ah you couldn’t make this up…
Ireland’s journalism has gone totally soft…. anyone got the balls to ask him proper questions!!!!
Jesus wept….
Crazy world Brexit, Trump, this.
I don’t know…. four years and he was innocent. I would be begging my sisters to back off if I wasn’t out in a week.
Is it cold there?
@David Fitzgerald: Ah I get it. They are wearing Muslim headdress. Very sharp banter. Well done you. Must be super proud of that one.
@Ste Rogers: maybe you could make s documentary about the Halawas! You seem to be very supportive of their beliefs, just look at what is going on across Europe would be enough for people to thread carefully with these Muslims,
@Gerry Murphy: cheers “gerry”. Maybe I will make a documentary about the family. You just never know. I might interview you in the documentary and ask you about how you call them “these muslims” and how you manage to tarnish 1.8 billion people with the same brush. Be interesting like.
I’m neverlistening to you lot again. Y’all said he would be on the late late, so I watched it. I’m beginning to wonder if you’re all just making stuff up.
I fancy the one in the head dress.
Nicholas Brody pt2
Congratulations ladies, well deserved, and welcome home Ibrahim.
@Ron North: What did they do to deserve it?
@Damien Wallanger: depart fantasy island tomorrow
@Damien Wallanger: Who paid for the campaign? (Besides the Irish taxpayer).
Why does daddy Halawa as legal guardian of a 17 year old with all his access to MB and Qatari resources not make some contribution to the expense incurred by what was legally his responsibility. His own actions led to his son being put in that situation. No wonder he is keeping his head down.
@Damien Wallanger:
They might be moderate compared to hardened IS jihadists, but would you really call this ‘moderate’??:
http://www.cihrs.org/?p=6849&lang=en
You really need to take your head out of the sand – this isn’t the kind of ‘moderate’ organisation I’m prepared to give a free pass to.
@Avina Laaf: You don’t hand out the passes though, you just put comments on the internet. You don’t matter.
@Ron North:
Nice response Ron, totally meaningless, well done.
What a load of crap, just wait a while and the true intentions of these people usually come to light.
They make fools of us and our governments who seem hell bent on bending over backwards for them, I’m sure he will manage to get a few million for the pain he went through, EVEN tho it wasn’t the Irish state that sent him to protest, it just makes me sick.
If he wants to protest he can f*ck right off and do so but then he can deal with the consequences in his own.
@libtard hater: “these people”. Classic.
@Ste Rogers: your no louie ,u need to find a new job
I wonder if they would give Leo a hand shake or a hug for all the work his government done to get him home due to the stance they have on homosexuals
Well done to them for their tireless efforts of raising awareness of their brothers unlawful detention and keeping it in the media spotlight. So glad they have him home and their family is back together again.
Insert racist comment here..
@Denbod: White people are evil and every bad thing that happens is their fault.
@Robert Jones Smith: *men
This is absolutely sick. WTF is wrong with people!
The cause célèbre of Ibrahim Halawa is the 21st century’s version of The Emperor’s New Clothes.
@Colm O’Sullivan: It is sick Colm… if by sick you mean real cool like. Were you at the awards?
Halawa wore western type suit and a tie which it shows he doesn’t support violence….
@Thosj Carroll: i was in court in Sligo the other month and there were lots of people up on violent charges and most of them were in suits!!!
maybe they had the same idea…
Have our Quisling Government let the husbands in? Probably MB fugitives who will add to future troubles. The Government don’t care about Ireland’s future. Shame on them. Our successors will pay the full price and not forgive. But hey! That’s only the future.
Such an achievement for the family, next Ibrahim wins image magazine peacemaker of the year….its written in the stars.
Dealighted to see they squeezed in a line about THE “Woman of the Year” – Sister Stanislaus – as the last sentence. Pathetic “journalism” at its worst..
……….for our children.
They look like an all girl pop group,yet more glamorous.
When these people are linked to a terror attack in the future I hope all these do gooders will come back down off their high horses
Just an after though, bet he is on the late late, on Friday.
Should have kept him and his sisters looked up, for another couple of years.
Should have kept him locked up, along with his sisters.
have your say