By Helen Clark
Once again terrorism on Australian soil is being debated.
Police accountant Curtis Cheng died from a gunshot wound to the back of his head on Friday, October 2 in Sydney’s Parramatta. It was, say authorities, an act of terrorism, carried out by 15-year-old Farhad Jabar who was soon afterwards shot by police. Once again terrorism on Australian soil is being debated. On Thursday, October 15 the government held a Countering Violent Extremism summit in response to the shooting, and subsequent arrests. Tolerance and understanding, said Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, have their limits.
Not so long ago, the government put out a publication [PDF] advising the public and community on violent extremism and radicalization. The coverage it got centered largely on one of a small number of case studies. Was this case study racist or anti-Islamic? No. The story of Karen followed a girl who got interested in “alternative music” before becoming a hardline, tree dwelling eco warrior. Then she found safer ways and means to express her concern. Alternative music? Is this the 1950s, seemed the consensus of the small number who bothered with the story at all. The well-meaning publication took an “elephant in the room” approach to Islamic extremism. In fact, the word “Muslim” showed up just once, in the last case study, and in passing.
However, all current discussions are centered on Islam and extremism. Given that Jabar was religiously motivated, and along with two other young men who have since been charged was apparently an ISIS sympathizer, it is understandable. Raban Alou, interviewed last year by Fairfax Media, was one; his older brother Kawa was detained as part of the September raid, which did not lead to charges. While Jabar was not under surveillance, some of those arrested in relation to Cheng’s murder had been watched for some time.
Read the full story at The Diplomat