BBC News
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VIDEO: A history of calling Obama a Muslim September 18, 2015
After Donald Trump fails to correct one of his supporters calling Barack Obama a Muslim, we look back on the history of this phenomenon.
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VIDEO: Stars of the Frankfurt Motor Show September 18, 2015
As the Frankfurt Motor Show draws to a close, Theo Leggett looks at what you could be driving away after that big lottery win.
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VIDEO: Pianist of Yarmouk's journey to Europe September 18, 2015
Ayham al-Ahmad, the pianist of Yarmouk, records his journey, as he leaves Syria for Europe.
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VIDEO: Pressure on Zagreb reception centres September 18, 2015
The BBC's Christian reports from one of the registration centres in and around the Croatia capital Zagreb.
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VIDEO: Trump laughs off Obama 'Muslim' question September 18, 2015
Donald Trump is criticised for failing to correct a supporter who said US President Barack Obama was a Muslim and "not even an American".
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VIDEO: Turkey-PKK conflict 'escalating fast' September 18, 2015
The number of policemen and soldiers who have been killed in Turkey since a ceasefire with Kurdish militant group the PKK broke down in July, has risen to more than 120.
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VIDEO: German town 'running out of room' for migrants September 18, 2015
The BBC's Jenny Hill reports from the town of Rosenheim in Germany, where giant tents are being constructed to accommodate asylum seekers.
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VIDEO: Waxworks unveiled of F1 stars Vettel and Hamilton September 18, 2015
As Singapore's Formula 1 Grand Prix gets into gear, the BBC's Rico Hizon meets two of the top challengers, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel - in waxwork form.
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VIDEO: Motor racing hopeful, but no driving licence September 17, 2015
Kenyan Tejas Hirani has won 48 motor-racing championships despite being just 17 and not yet having a driving licence.
– EX-GITMO ABDUL QAYYUM LEADS THE TALIBAN IN HELMAND
According to the officials Abdul Qayyum was given charge of the military campaign in the south about 14 months ago, soon after his release in late 2008 from the Afghan jail to which he had been transferred from Guantanamo in 12/12/2007.
Abdul Qayyum is close to the Taliban’s spiritual leader Mullah Omar and seen as a leading candidate to be the next No. 2 in the Afghan Taliban hierarchy, after the capture of Mullah Baradar in Karachi, Pakistan, on 02/08/2010.
The house of Abdul Qayyum was raided about two weeks ago in Quetta, Pakistan, and three assistants were arrested but he escaped. A week ago he was seen in Pishin, a Pakistani border town about 30 miles (50 kilometers) from Quetta, the official said.
Abdul Qayyum’s key aide in plotting attacks on Afghan and NATO-ISAF is another former Guantanamo prisoner, known as Abdul Rauf Aliza. Abdul Rauf, 29, (no. 108 in Guantanamo), who told his U.S. interrogators he had only loose connections to the Taliban, spent time in an Afghan jail before being freed in 2009 and rejoined the Taliban. Like Abdul Qayyum he was also transferred to Afghanistan on 12/12/2007.
Like Abdul Qayyum, Abdul Rauf is from Helmand province in southern Afghanistan. During the Taliban’s rule, which ended in late 2001, Abdul Rauf was a senior commander in the western province of Herat and in the Afghan capital, Kabul (see also the story of Abdul-Hafiz).
Abdul Qayyum was a Taliban commander in the 1990s, was notorious for brutality and summary executions. He was captured in the 2001 Absolute Justice operation in Afghanistan and taken to Guantanamo. According to interrogation transcripts, he identified himself to his American captors by his father’s name, Abdullah Ghulam Rasoul, and said he had been conscripted by the Taliban but left at the first opportunity.
USA intelligence asserts that 20% of suspects released from the Guantanamo Bay prison have returned to the fight and the number has been steadily increasing (see – Gitmo-the end).
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