“Holy War on Australia,” was the headline of the November 9 Daily Telegraph. Coverage in most media was marked by similar sensationalism and nationalism.

The raids were carried out as the conservative government of Prime Minister John Howard was seeking parliamentary and public backing for its “anti-terror” legislation and for new anti-union laws that have generated widespread opposition.

Nine men were arrested in Melbourne and eight in Sydney. One man in Sydney was shot and wounded in the neck after an alleged shootout with cops before being detained. Another Sydney man was arrested days later. More arrests are expected.

One of those arrested in Melbourne was Muslim cleric Abu Bakr. An Algerian-born Australian citizen, Bakr has lived there since 1989. He has publicly called Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden a “great man” and leads a radical Islamic group.

The raids came after 16 months of spying and cop wiretaps. Materials seized reportedly included firearms, travel documents, computers, and backpacks.

Three days later, Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali spoke in Arabic and English at the large Lakemba mosque in southwest Sydney. Expressing concern for “the nation’s security,” he said the “disproportionate, exaggerated” force of the raids reminded many Muslim immigrants of “dictatorial countries” they had left. “Breaking down the doors…with rifles aimed at people with lights attached to them, handcuffing people,” al-Hilali said, “are acts against civilians” that are “driven by racists.”

Only days earlier, citing urgent “operational” considerations, Howard had secured multiparty backing from opposition Labor, Democrat, and Green members of parliament for a highly publicized amendment to existing laws. It changed the wording from “the terrorist act” to “a terrorist act,” widening the scope for conspiracy-like charges, even before new laws boosting cop powers are passed by parliament.

The joint counterterrorism operation was carried out by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), state cops from Victoria and New South Wales, and agents from the Australian Security Intelligence Organization. The same week the AFP, also involved in counterterrorism operations abroad in the region, aided the Indonesian police in shooting to death alleged Bali bomb maker Asahari Husin.
 
 
Related articles:
UK Parliament doubles time ‘terror’ suspects can be held without charges  
 
 
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