AUSTRALIAN jihadists fighting with the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham are carrying out massacres of captured Iraqi prisoners and participating in some of the most gruesome war crimes committed during the two-week-old Iraq insurgency. Convicted terrorist Khaled Sharrouf is among a handful of Australian jihadists believed to have carried out bloody, battlefield executions, in what amounts to a serious escalation of Australian involvement in the Iraq-Syria conflict. As Australian troops prepare to deploy once more to Iraq, this time to protect Australia’s embassy in Baghdad, The Weekend Australian can reveal that several Australian Islamists fighting with ISIS have become enthusiastic participants in some of the worst excesses of the conflict. Highly graphic images of the executions have emerged on social media. The Weekend Australian has verified those images. They show Sharrouf holding a pistol and leaning over the corpse of an Iraqi man who has been executed. The victim — dressed in civilian, not military, clothing — has died from a massive head wound, far too graphic to reproduce. The dead bodies of other men, also clad in civilian clothing, lie around the former Sydney man. At least one of the victims had his hands tied with a keffiyeh headdress popular with Iraqis. The men were clothed in long robes and sandals. The shocking developments, along with the highly graphic images that document them, have prompted rare interventions from both the head of ASIO and the Australian Federal Police. ASIO director-general David Irvine said the Australian community “abhors’’ acts of terrorism committed by citizens of any country, “including by Australians’’. “It is clear that horrific acts of violence and terrorism have taken place in Syria and now more recently in Iraq,’’ Mr Irvine told The Weekend Australian. “I am confident that Australians of all political and religious persuasions will continue to reject such violence from whatever quarter it comes.’’ AFP commissioner Tony Negus said the images reported to have been found on the internet were “very disturbing’’. “It is obviously a very distressing situation for all those involved,’’ Mr Negus said. “It is important in this situation for those people who may be considering taking part in these conflicts or participating in any violence here in Australia to know that law enforcement will not tolerate violence or extremism and will take all necessary steps to prevent harm in our communities.’’ Both men warned of the dire consequences faced by Australians who participated in the Iraq-Syria conflict. “We will use all powers and resources at our disposal to prevent violence or extremism both here in Australia and overseas,’’ Mr Negus said. The warning was echoed by Mr Irvine, who said Australia had international, as well as domestic, obligations to prevent Australians from travelling abroad to fight. Sharrouf and fellow Australian radical Mohamed Elomar, also fighting with ISIS, are understood to have executed several captured Iraqis. It is understood the executions occurred in northern Iraq and there was speculation the victims might have been captured Iraqi government workers. The image of Sharrouf was posted on Facebook by an Australian using the name Abu Hafs, a nom de guerre used by Elomar. It is believed Elomar also participated in the killings. Sharrouf, who served three years and 11 months over his role in the 2005 Pendennis terror plot, left Australia illegally last year, flying out of Sydney Airport on his brother’s passport. Elomar’s brother, former boxing champion Ahmed Elomar — who in 2009 was arrested in Lebanon for alleged terror links before being released without charge — was jailed this week for assaulting a policeman during the 2012 Hyde Park riot. Their uncle, also named Mohamed Elomar, was one of the ringleaders of the 2005 Pendennis terror conspiracy. Elomar Sr was also jailed over the plot. theaustralian.au/news/nation/aussie-jihadi-in-iraqi-executions/story-e6frg6nf-1226961932553#
Posted on: Sun, 22 Jun 2014 22:17:02 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015