Muslim arrests to silence community - Article in The Australian (full article below) EAN HIGGINS - THE AUSTRALIAN DECEMBER 04, 2013 ISLAMIC activist group Hizb ut-Tahrir described the arrests yesterday of two Muslims alleged to have tried to join the struggle in Syria, or to have arranged for others to do so, as a bid to intimidate and silence the Muslim community. Hizb ut-Tahrir, an international organisation dedicated to the creation of a global caliphate to rule all Muslims around the world, said the federal government was hypocritical in criticising such activities at the same time it had troops fighting in Afghanistan. Why are the acts of Australian troops in conflicts abroad characterised as an ultimate sacrifice to be celebrated but the sacrifice of Muslims in wanting to assist the oppressed characterised as criminal, problematic conduct to be condemned? it said in a statement from its Australian media office. Hizb ut-Tahrir has run an active media and public forum campaign urging Australian Muslims to be cautious of co-operating with Australian authorities, or taking on mainstream Australian values. At a convention in western Sydney last month, it said ASIO and federal and state police were engaged in a harassment and persecution campaign against activist and traditionalist Muslims, in a bid to suppress dissident views inconvenient to the government and promote an acceptable and watered down version of Islam. It issued yesterdays statement after the announcement of the arrests of Amin Mohamad, alleged to have tried to travel to Syria to fight against the Assad regime, and Hamdi Alqudsi, who allegedly organised travel and arranged overseas contacts for seven Australians to fight in Syria. The men were allegedly sent to fight with the terrorist group Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as the al-Nusra Front, and affiliates of al-Qaida. In its statement, Hizb ut-Tahrir said Attorney-General George Brandis, in linking these arrests to Australias national security, had engaged in ridiculous and irresponsible fear mongering. On the one hand the government has criminalised support for forces opposing Assad, yet on the other is itself, through its foreign ministry, undertaking various political manoeuvres in support of the secular elements of the opposition, Hizb ut-Tahrir said. The truth is that government policy on this issue is not about violence or national security. It is about seeking to legitimise and push the political alternative for Syria the government deems acceptable and de-legitimising and criminalising that which it deems problematic. It is about promoting and working for a secular lackey as the alternative to Assad.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Dec 2013 07:56:37 +0000
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