Sounds like a case of treating the symptom rather than the disease, but I'll take what I can get.

Italy bans Islamic burqas
Natasha Bita, Florence
August 01, 2005

ITALY has banned Islamic burqas under tough terrorism laws that provide two-year jail terms and E2000 ($3200) fines for anyone caught covering their face in a public place.

The counter-terrorism package, passed by Italy's parliament yesterday, doubles the existing penalty for wearing a burqa or chador -- traditional robes worn by Muslim women to cover their faces -- or full-faced helmets or balaclavas in public.

Police can extract DNA samples without a suspect's consent, detain them for 24 hours without a lawyer present, and deport foreigners suspected of terrorism under the new legislation. Soldiers involved in counter-terrorism have been given the same stop-and-search powers.

The changes, approved in a rare show of bipartisanship, came as Italian police arrested a fugitive hunted by British police over the bungled bombing attempt in London on July 21.

"In the course of the investigation, it has been possible to identify a dense network of individuals from the Eritrean and Ethiopian communities in Italy, believed to have helped the fugitive cover his tracks," Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu told the Senate. "We have before us a grave threat that has to be confronted with all the means of prevention and contrast that we have." Italian media yesterday reported that the suspected terrorist, named by British police as Somali-born Hussain Osman, was Hamdi Adus Issac, 27, born in Ethiopia and allegedly granted British citizenship using false Somali documents.

Osman, who reportedly lived in Rome for several years and speaks fluent Italian, is fighting Britain's extradition request via a European arrest warrant. He slipped through Britain's security dragnet last week by catching a train from London's Waterloo station to Paris. He then moved to Milan and Rome, where Italian police arrested him during a raid on a relative's apartment. They had been tracking him by monitoring his mobile phone.

Italy's biggest newspapers reported that Osman had admitted to his Italian police interrogator that he had carried a bomb on to a train in his backpack.

Italy's opposition leader, former European Commission president Romano Prodi, yesterday pledged to withdraw Italy's 3000 troops from Iraq if his centre-left coalition wins elections due by June next year.

"We will withdraw them as a occupying force because our job will be to aid in the reconstruction of Iraq," he said.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi -- who has said Italy will progressively withdraw its troops starting in September -- accused his rival of putting Italian soldiers' lives at risk by defining them as "occupying".

"He's breaking Western solidarity, justifying and enticing attacks against our troops," Mr Berlusconi said.

Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini accused Mr Prodi of exposing Italy to a terrorist attack.

www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16110721%5E2703,00.html

Works for me.


Durka durka!

Now the women will have to shave, or will they?

Too bad it will never happen here.  Not unless there is a serious attack, then all bets are off.

Quoted: Quoted: Now the women will have to shave, or will they? Wonder if it also applies to full face motorcycle helmets? Lots of bugs to eat.

Actually, they are shaved all over.  I mean everything except their heads.  Its part of their culture.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Now the women will have to shave, or will they? Wonder if it also applies to full face motorcycle helmets? Lots of bugs to eat. Actually, they are shaved all over.  I mean everything except their heads.  Its part of their culture.

Then why always the 5 o'clock shadow on them mugs?

The counter-terrorism package, passed by Italy's parliament yesterday, doubles the existing penalty for wearing a burqa or chador -- traditional robes worn by Muslim women to cover their faces -- or full-faced helmets or balaclavas in public.

Does the law apply while you're riding a motorcycle, or will dentists be loving life in a few months?

Kharn

Quoted: ITALY has banned Islamic burqas under tough terrorism laws that provide two-year jail terms and E2000 ($3200) fines for anyone caught covering their face in a public place.

Glad that's not happening here.  I don't need the guberment telling me I can't "cover my face in a public place."

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Now the women will have to shave, or will they? Wonder if it also applies to full face motorcycle helmets? Lots of bugs to eat. Actually, they are shaved all over.  I mean everything except their heads.  Its part of their culture. Then why always the 5 o'clock shadow on them mugs?

I did say EVERYWHERE EXCEPT THEIR HEADS!

This law is short-sighted and irrational.

There are times that a bhurka should not only be permissable, it should be encouraged.

Quoted: Quoted: ITALY has banned Islamic burqas under tough terrorism laws that provide two-year jail terms and E2000 ($3200) fines for anyone caught covering their face in a public place. Glad that's not happening here.  I don't need the guberment telling me I can't "cover my face in a public place."

Think again, homie.

Quoted: Now the women will have to shave, or will they?

I'm thinking just their moustaches....can't hide it behind a veil anymore.....

Quoted: "In the course of the investigation, it has been possible to identify a dense network of individuals from the Eritrean and Ethiopian communities in Italy, believed to have helped the fugitive cover his tracks," Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu told the Senate. "We have before us a grave threat that has to be confronted with all the means of prevention and contrast that we have." Italian media yesterday reported that the suspected terrorist, named by British police as Somali-born Hussain Osman, was Hamdi Adus Issac, 27, born in Ethiopia and allegedly granted British citizenship using false Somali documents.

Yup, they're all in on it.

ITALY has banned Islamic burqas under tough terrorism laws that provide two-year jail terms and E2000 ($3200) fines for anyone caught covering their face in a public place.

Must be winters there are mild. There isn't a day in the winter here when I don't have my face covered with a scarf or something similar.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: ITALY has banned Islamic burqas under tough terrorism laws that provide two-year jail terms and E2000 ($3200) fines for anyone caught covering their face in a public place. Glad that's not happening here.  I don't need the guberment telling me I can't "cover my face in a public place." Think again, homie.

You should see the trouble I get in when I  try to wear my ski mask to the bank.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: ITALY has banned Islamic burqas under tough terrorism laws that provide two-year jail terms and E2000 ($3200) fines for anyone caught covering their face in a public place. Glad that's not happening here.  I don't need the guberment telling me I can't "cover my face in a public place." Think again, homie.

Hell, I must have been living in a hole.  Is it illegal to cover your face in a public place here in the US?  Site real law, not opinion please.
Edit:  Hell here's something from my own damn town. Shit.

Quoted: You should see the trouble I get in when I  try to wear my ski mask to the bank.

Yeah till they see that mug of yours and ask you to put it back on LOL

and how many of the bombers in london covered their faces?
what happens if it's cold outside? can't wear a scarf or balaclava anymore?
are they going back to their fascist WW2 ways?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: ITALY has banned Islamic burqas under tough terrorism laws that provide two-year jail terms and E2000 ($3200) fines for anyone caught covering their face in a public place. Glad that's not happening here.  I don't need the guberment telling me I can't "cover my face in a public place." Think again, homie. Hell, I must have been living in a hole.  Is it illegal to cover your face in a public place here in the US?  Site real law, not opinion please. Edit:  Hell here's something from my own damn town. Shit.

Florida is trying to (or may already have) pass a law to make muslim women reomve their facial dressings for their d/l photo.

Quoted: This law is short-sighted and irrational. There are times that a bhurka should not only be permissable, it should be encouraged. www.bu.edu/com/jo/washjocenter/graphics/thomas.jpg

AAAAAAAGGGGHHHH.

From what I understand, face recognition software will not work if the person is wearing sunglasses.  Are they next?

Quoted: Too bad it will never happen here.  Not unless there is a serious attack, then all bets are off.

we have simular laws in some areas about wearing masks in publick other then on halloween but i bet the ACLU would have a field day if it was applied to burkas.

Quoted: Hell, I must have been living in a hole.  Is it illegal to cover your face in a public place here in the US?  Site real law, not opinion please. Edit:  Hell here's something from my own damn town. Shit.

Thabnks to "The (alleged) Patriot Act" a LOT of places are pushing the envelope on "rights"... phoqued up? YES. But then, so is the (alleged) Patriot Act.

Quoted: Florida is trying to (or may already have) pass a law to make muslim women reomve their facial dressings for their d/l photo.

Well, I'm sorry, but THAT is just "common sense" I mean the photo is THERE for ID purposes. If you cannot SEE the face, how can you RECOGNIZE that face??? EITHER remove the photo for EVERYONE or they show their ugly mug. Period. They don't LIKE it? They can always FORGO a driver's Liscense OR they can go back to the country where they probab;ly are not PERMITTED to drive by LAW.

Quoted: Quoted: You should see the trouble I get in when I  try to wear my ski mask to the bank. In August.

I try to tell them, "but it's COLD in wisconsin".

That's pretty fucked up.

Quoted: This law is short-sighted and irrational. There are times that a bhurka should not only be permissable, it should be encouraged. www.bu.edu/com/jo/washjocenter/graphics/thomas.jpg

Jeeze, is that emperor palpatine?

Quoted: Quoted: ITALY has banned Islamic burqas under tough terrorism laws that provide two-year jail terms and E2000 ($3200) fines for anyone caught covering their face in a public place. Glad that's not happening here.  I don't need the guberment telling me I can't "cover my face in a public place."

Was that a joke?  many States already have laws on the books forbidding the wearing of masks in demonstrations / poltiical protests. Most of the Southern states did so as a method of curtailing the KKK.

Quoted: Quoted: Hell, I must have been living in a hole.  Is it illegal to cover your face in a public place here in the US?  Site real law, not opinion please. Edit:  Hell here's something from my own damn town. Shit. Thabnks to "The (alleged) Patriot Act" a LOT of places are pushing the envelope on "rights"... phoqued up? YES. But then, so is the (alleged) Patriot Act.

How many terrorsts attacks have taken place since 11 September 01?
The Patriot Act works.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Hell, I must have been living in a hole.  Is it illegal to cover your face in a public place here in the US?  Site real law, not opinion please. Edit:  Hell here's something from my own damn town. Shit. Thabnks to "The (alleged) Patriot Act" a LOT of places are pushing the envelope on "rights"... phoqued up? YES. But then, so is the (alleged) Patriot Act. How many terrorsts attacks have taken place since 11 September 01? The Patriot Act works.

Some of it, yes. Most of it? Hell no.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: ITALY has banned Islamic burqas under tough terrorism laws that provide two-year jail terms and E2000 ($3200) fines for anyone caught covering their face in a public place. Glad that's not happening here.  I don't need the guberment telling me I can't "cover my face in a public place." Think again, homie.

yep.  many laws were passed to prevent klansmen from wearing hoods and covering their faces.

That cop who got beat up during the peace protest in San Francisco recently was trying to arrest demonstrators who were wearing masks.

There was some pretty good cop bashing threads about it when they were looking for the maryland shooter as alot of the fed JBTs were wearing masks in the traffic check points
alot of people dug up laws against it

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: ITALY has banned Islamic burqas under tough terrorism laws that provide two-year jail terms and E2000 ($3200) fines for anyone caught covering their face in a public place. Glad that's not happening here.  I don't need the guberment telling me I can't "cover my face in a public place." Was that a joke?  many States already have laws on the books forbidding the wearing of masks in demonstrations / poltiical protests. Most of the Southern states did so as a method of curtailing the KKK.

Sweet fucking hell, I wish people would read the ENTIRE thread before they post.  I posted something realizing that it was illegal to cover your face in public TWO HOURS ago.

Edit:  And I STILL think that's stupid.  If I want to go out dressed up as a clown with a Jimmy Carter mask on my face, I should be able to fucking do that.

And, as far as Muslim women having to remove their burqua's to take their driver's license photo?  That shouldn't be a problem.  A photo of a person with a blue hood is NOT positive identification.

Sure... allow them to blend in and make it that much harder tp pick them out of a crowd.

Wait a miinute... Italy? Who cares. They're part of the EU... plus they're about one step away from being ranked as low as France.

traditional robes worn by Muslim women to cover their faces -- or full-faced helmets or balaclavas in public.

Ah, they banned motorcycle, football and whatever else helmets?  This seems more like the usual EU dumbass idea.