Historic visit: Rabbi Marvin Hier leads SWC delegation in private audience with Pope Francis

Rabbi Hier to Pope Francis: 'Peace is one of Judaism's Greatest Virtues' — But ‘Evil is Real and Must be Confronted’ ‘The world must not forget to act when dealing with terrorists and rogue nations’

October 28, 2013 Vatican City A sixty-member Simon Wiesenthal Center delegation that included Holocaust survivors, Christians and a prominent Muslim met with Pope Francis at a private audience in the Vatican. In his speech, Rabbi Marvin Hier (pictured left), Dean and Founder of the Jewish human rights NGO, raised the continuing threats from terrorists and rogue nations, like Iran. In his remarks, Pope Francis reaffirmed his condemnation of “all forms of anti-Semitism,” adding, “The problem of intolerance must be confronted in all its forms… [including] the marginalization and the very real persecutions which not a few Christians are undergoing in various countries.” Simon Wiesenthal Center Chairman, Larry Mizel (pictured right)  presented the Pope with a specially-commissioned Jerusalem Stone menorah with a quote from Psalms reflecting the new Pontiff’s emphasis on values of kindness and good deeds - “Righteousness and Justice are His Throne’s Foundation".

Patna blasts mastermind Tehseen Akhtar is nephew of JD(U) leader: Report

(Zee News)

Patna blast accused

Indian Mujahideen operative Tehseen Akhtar, who is allegedly the mastermind of Sunday's Patna serial blasts that left six dead and over 50 injured, is the nephew of a Janata Dal (United) leader from Bihar, reports claimed on Tuesday.
Taki Akhtar is the JD(U) leader in Samastipur district, Bihar.

According to a report published in a daily, Taki has always denied any ties with Tehseen. The Akhtars are residents of Maniarpur village of Samastipur, about 100 km from Patna.

Seven blasts took place on Sunday, six of which occured in and around the Gandhi Maidan where Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi later addressed a rally. Tahseen Akhtar is considered to be close to Yasin Bhatkal, the man who co-founded Indian Mujahideen. In the last few months, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on more than 10 occasions raided his native village but failed to find him.

Earlier, the NIA issued an arrest warrant against Tahseen Akhtar, and also announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information that could lead to his arrest.