The Australian Muslim terror thread

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I've found a few articles and I've decided to put them in this thread rather than spam the forum :p

'They planned to kill civilians'
By staff writers and AAP
08nov05
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,17176270^661,00.html

TERROR suspects held in today's massive police operation had formed a group to wage "holy war" against Australians, a court has been told.

Nine of the accused have appeared in a Melbourne court, with police alleging their aim was "to kill innocent men and women in Australia".


They include include Osama Bin Laden supporter and radical Islamic cleric, Abdul Nacer Benbrika, also known as Abu Bakr.

Benbrika has been named in court as the alleged leader of the group.
In total, 16 people were arrested in today's raids in Melbourne and Sydney, now believed to have involved some 500 police, combining Australian Federal Police with state forces in New South Wales and Victoria.
Government and police officials have the group was stockpiling chemicals that could have been used to make explosives.

It has been claimed the group may have been plotting a terrorist spectacular on the scale of the al-Qaeda attacks on London and Madrid.

NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney said the group's plans, if successful, would have been "catastrophic".


Authorities have not yet identified any specific targets the suspects were planning to attack.

In a dramatic day of police activity, officers also shot and wounded a suspected terrorist who allegedly fled and fired them and disobeyed an order to stop on a Sydney street this morning.

The man had been under surveillance by counter-terrorist police and was carrying a backpack when ordered to stop by officers.

He is currently in a Sydney hospital in a serious but stable condition.

The first details of the charges against the 16 terror suspects were outlined in a Melbourne court today.

Victorian police had more than 240 hours of phone intercepts in which the group discussed plans to kill Australian civilians, the court heard.

Some of the group had attended military training, and they had a pooled fund of money to finance alleged plots, the court heard.

Benbrika was the co-ordinator and spiritual leader of the group, prosecutor Richard Maidment QC said.

"It is alleged that all of the persons who have been before the court this morning along with another not presently in custody constitutes a terrorist organisation," Mr Maidment said.

"That organisation is directed by the defendant Benbrika.

"Each of the members of the group are committed to the cause of violent jihad," he said.

The arrests come just days after the Federal Government rushed changes to anti-terrorist legislation through Parliament.

Prime Minister John Howard warned the changes were necessary because "specific intelligence and police information" indicated a group was close to carrying out a terrorist spectacular on Australian soil.

The Sydney raids targeted homes in south western suburbs including Wiley Park, while homes in Melbourne's suburbs of Brunswick, Coburg and Broadmeadows were raided.

Police would oppose bail for the suspects when they faced court later today, Mr Moroney said.

"They're currently being interviewed by police and my expectation is that those persons variously will appear in Sydney courts this morning," he said.

In Melbourne, lawyer Rob Stary said he would be acting for people charged in the city's northern suburbs.

The charges mainly involved membership of a proscribed terrorist organisation, he said.

"I assume it's one of the Islamist organisations that have been proscribed (by the Federal Government)," Mr Stary said.

Victorian Premier Steve Bracks said documents and computer hard drives had been seized and that in Sydney some chemicals had been seized. Searches are continuing at addresses in the two cities.

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Muslim cleric 'among raid arrests'
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,17176555^661,00.html

08nov05

ONE of the nine men arrested in anti-terrorism raids across Melbourne overnight was the outspoken Melbourne Muslim cleric Abu Bakr, his lawyer said today.

Criminal lawyer Rob Stary earlier declined to name the men he represented who were arrested and charged after early morning raids today.


But Mr Stary replied: "Yes" when asked by ABC radio if one of the men arrested was Abu Bakr.

Abu Bakr, also known as Abdul Nacer Benbrika, made headlines in August when he stated publicly his support for al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.
At the time, he denied being involved in any terrorist activities but told ABC Radio he was a supporter of Osama bin Laden.

"Osama bin Laden, he is a great man," he said.

"Osama bin Laden was a great man before 11 September, which they said he did it, until now nobody knows who did it."
Bakr defended Muslims fighting against coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and said anyone who fought in the name of Allah would be forgiven their sins.


He also said Muslims faced a problem in Australia as to whether to obey Australian or Islamic laws.

"There are two laws, there is Australian law, there is Islamic law," Bakr said.

On other religions, he said: "I am not only against the Jew. I am against anyone who try to harm my religion."

At the time, Prime Minister John Howard rejected Bakr's statements, labelling them unfair and damaging to Australian Muslims who believed religions should be respected and everyone should live in tolerance and harmony.

Bakr is a dual Algerian and Australian citizen who has lived in Melbourne's northern suburbs since 1989.

Mr Stary said the nine men, including Bakr, had been charged with being members of a proscribed organisation under anti-terrorism legislation.
The group had not been specified by authorities, he said.

"They are not charged with being involved in the planning or preparation (of a terrorist act) ... they are charged with a membership offence only," he said.

"They are the only charges.
"Because of the nature of the offences under the anti-terror legislation the law says that bail shall be opposed and shall be refused unless you can show there are exceptional circumstances."


Police had seized no materials that indicated the nine were about to launch a terrorist strike, Mr Stary said.

"It appears to be the case that there's nothing ... of a sinister nature that was located within those premises – no weapons, no chemicals, no other instruments or any articles that might be used for that purpose."

Mr Stary said some of his clients had assisted police.

"When you say that, they have provided all their particulars as they are obliged to do so and (some) have simply exercised their rights and declined to answer any other questions on legal advice," he said.

"Some of them have answered questions."

The allegation the nine had been involved in planning a terrorist strike had never been put to his clients, Mr Stary said.

Abu Bakr was among the radical Islamic clerics excluded by Prime Minister John Howard from a recent summit on religious violence.

In August, Mr Howard invited 14 moderate Muslim leaders to discuss ways to stop religious leaders inciting violence and terrorism, in the wake of the London bombings.
At the time, Islamic groups criticised the guest list, saying it could lead to impressions the Prime Minister had invited only those who would say what he wanted to hear.