Why Islamic State glorified the Sydney siege

By Nick O'Brien  Wednesday 31 December 2014

Photo: Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis has been claimed as one of the jihadists of the Islamic State. (Sergio Dionisio: AAP)

The new edition of Islamic State's magazine claims the Sydney siege gunman as a righteous jihadist, and we shouldn't dismiss this level of propaganda lightly, writes Nick O'Brien.

Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis has been claimed as one of the jihadists ("mujahidin") of the Islamic State, with the newly released edition of the organisation's online propaganda magazine Dabiq declaring:

"He did not do so by undertaking the journey to the lands of the Khilāfah and fighting side-by-side with his brothers but rather, by acting alone and striking the kuffār where it would hurt them most - in their own lands and on the very streets that they presumptively walk in safety."

The message in this statement is clear. It hurts "the West" most if attacks are carried out at home. There is no need to travel to Iraq or Syria to make a difference.

Islamic State would certainly be aware of the worldwide media attention that the Martin Place siege attracted and would want to replicate that if at all possible.

The latest comments in Dabiq echo those of Shaykh Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, the official spokesman for the Islamic State (IS), who said in September:

"If you can kill a disbelieving American or European - especially the spiteful and filthy French - or an Australian, or a Canadian, or any other disbeliever from the disbelievers waging war, including the citizens of the countries that entered into a coalition against the Islamic State, then rely upon Allah, and kill him in any manner or way however it may be. Do not ask for anyone's advice and do not seek anyone's verdict."

Online propaganda like this should not be dismissed lightly. Dabiq and its Al Qaeda counterpart, Inspire, are cheap and easy to produce. All you need is a laptop and an internet connection to produce a reasonable publication. The fact that both publications are in English ensure that they reach the widest possible audience.

Issue 5 of Dabiq was released in November. It stated: "In Australia, Numan Haider stabbed two counterterrorism police officers." It then went on to discuss two terrorist attacks in Canada, including the one on the Canadian parliament, and one in New York.

The section concluded:

"All these attacks were the direct result of the Shaykh's call to action, and they highlight what a deadly tinderbox is fizzing just beneath the surface of every western country, waiting to explode into violent action at any moment given the right conditions."

The "Shaykh's call to action" mentioned here is presumably the statement made in September 2014.

Who knows whether the attacks mentioned above were triggered by the words of "the Shaykh"? However, it is likely that most, if not all, of the attackers in these scenarios had read Dabiq and/or Inspire.

The terrible events of Martin Place this month followed the release of Dabiq issue 5 and the police will be forensically examining every detail of the attacker's life. It is highly probable that Monis had both read the above comments by Shaykh al-Adnani and had read issues of Dabiq, either at home or in an internet café to afford him some anonymity.

If this proves to be the case it would not be right to conclude that it was the words or the contents of Dabiq that caused the attack, but the conclusion could certainly be drawn that they were factors that contributed to Monis's actions.

It's also worth mentioning that the newly released Dabiq issue 6 includes an "interview" with the 26-year-old Jordanian pilot, Muath al-Kasaesbeh, captured by IS following the crash of his aircraft. He is described as a "crusader pilot" and it's the end of the interview that is chilling:

Dabiq: Do you know what the Islamic State will do with you?

Pilot: Yes ... They will kill me...

Dabiq 6 goes on to assert: "There will be others who follow the examples set by Man Haron Monis and Numan Haider in Australia, Martin Couture-Rouleau and Michael Zehaf-Bibeau in Canada, Zale Thompson in America, and Bertrand Nzohabonayo in France, and all that the West will be able to do is to anxiously await the next round of slaughter."

Somewhat dramatic perhaps, but the sad fact is that, as we move towards 2015, the person who wrote those words is probably right.

Nick O'Brien is Associate Professor Counter Terrorism at Charles Sturt University. He was previously a police officer at Scotland Yard, London. View his full profile here.

Why Islamic State glorified the Sydney siege - The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis glorified in Islamic State propaganda magazine Dabiq

Matthew Knott Communications and education correspondent

December 30, 2014 - 1:20PM

Lindt Cafe gunman Islamic State poster boy

Man Haron Monis has been hailed a hero by an Islamic State propaganda magazine for his actions during the siege in which two hostages were killed.

Islamic State magazine aims to inspire

Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis features prominently in newly released Islamic State propaganda material which urges would-be terrorists to mimic his "daring raid" on the Lindt cafe in Martin Place.

In the foreword to the sixth edition of Dabiq, Islamic State's official English-language magazine, the terrorist group says Monis' actions "brought terror to the entire nation" and erased his history of "shirk and transgression".

Man Haron Monis was selected for special praise in the latest edition of an Islamic State propaganda magazine. Photo: Nick Ralston

Islamic State uses Dabiq as an important recruitment and propaganda tool.

"This month, an attack was carried out in Sydney by Man Haron Monis, a Muslim who resolved to join the mujahidin of the Islamic State in their war against the crusader coalition," the magazine's foreword says.

"He did not do so by undertaking the journey to the lands of the Khilāfah and fighting side-by-side with his brothers but rather, by acting alone and striking the kuffār [non-believers] where it would hurt them most – in their own lands and on the very streets that they presumptively walk in safety.

"It didn't take much; he got hold of a gun and stormed a cafe taking everyone inside hostage. Yet in doing so, he prompted mass panic, brought terror to the entire nation, and triggered an evacuation of parts of Sydney's central business district. The blessings in his efforts were apparent from the very outset."

The foreword continues: "After a lengthy standoff, brother Man Haron Monis was killed. His daring raid ended with two kāfir hostages dead, and four others wounded, including a police officer. Thus, he added his name to the list of Muslims who answered the Khilāfah's call to strike those waging war against the Islamic State wherever they may be, and thereby has his past history of shirk and transgression completely erased..."

The magazine features a full-page colour photograph of Monis and contains quotes attributed to him on his conversion from Shia to Sunni Islam.

Past editions of Dabiq, which is named after a town in Syria, urged would-be jihadists to keep their plots small and their strategies simple, involving as few people as possible.

"At this point of the crusade against the Islamic State, it is very important that attacks take place in every country that has entered into the alliance against the Islamic State, especially the US, UK, France, Australia and Germany," the fourth edition urged.

"The citizens of crusader nations should be targeted wherever they can be found."

The latest edition of al-Qaeda-produced magazine Inspire, also released this week, claimed Monis took hostages in the Lindt cafe after his "peaceful protests" failed and called on extremists to carry out attacks on US soil.

"After years of peaceful protest in Australia, a... Muslim takes dozens of hostages in a cafe for 16 hours," it reads.

"Mr Abott [sic] you should have known by now that peace and security is a two-way equation."

John Blaxland, a senior fellow at the Australian National University's Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, said the fact Islamist terrorist groups had resorted to appealing to "unhinged" individuals to conduct lone-wolf attacks demonstrated they had been weakened since the September 11 and Bali bombing attacks.

"There is a lot of hysteria about the nature and scope of the threat [of Islamic State]," he said.

"They can manipulate people to act as lone wolves but they do not pose an existential threat to Australia."

Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis glorified in Islamic State propaganda magazine Dabiq

Why halal certification is in turmoil

Chris Johnston December 28, 2014

The booming international halal certification industry for food and other products, including in Australia, is in turmoil. Chris Johnston reports.

Kirralie Smith. Photo: Scott Calvin

Kirralie Smith is a permaculture farmer from northern New South Wales and a mother of three. She is also the public face of the virulent campaign to boycott halal food and products.

Halal means permissible for Muslims to eat or use, and Smith's Facebook page "'Boycott Halal in Australia" has 41,000 supporters. She speaks at events organised by "Islam-critical" groups such as the Q Society, which has also been involved in local campaigns to stop mosques being built. Her "Halal Choices" website, she says, gets 80,000 visitors a month. 

'We are Australians. I love my footy, my cricket, my meat pies. Halal pies of course'

Mohammed Eris

She says her objection is not to Islam itself but the extra cost she thinks is imposed on Australian consumers by companies paying to have products – everything from milk to pies and shampoo – certified halal. 

Jamil Makhoul at his halal grocery shop in Coburg. Photo: Justin McManus

Halal products are certified as being free from anything that Muslims are not allowed to eat or use (such as pork and alcohol). The products must be made and stored using machines that  are cleansed according to Islamic law. 

Large processing plants will have Muslim staff members who are accredited in some instances to bless the factory. Halal slaughtering of animals in Australia is done after they are stunned.

Smith and her supporters claim halal certification is a scam by Muslim interests to raise money for mosques and therefore for "jihad." They base this assertion on media reports in France, Canada and the United States claiming certification funds had been paid to organisations linked to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Yet neither Smith nor her unofficial patron, the Q Society, could elaborate on the Australian situation. "To the best of our knowledge no one has yet undertaken similar research," says Q Society's national president Debbie Robinson. 

Mohammed Eris, the treasurer of the Supreme Islamic Council of Halal Meat in Australia, says he is "saddened" to hear regular accusations that Muslim halal certifying bodies funnel money to terrorism. His organisation has the contract with Coles to certify supermarket products. "We are Australians," he says. "I love my footy, my cricket, my meat pies. Halal pies of course."

He says the council has funded youth groups and non-Muslim youth cancer organisations such as the Starlight Children's Foundation Australia which supports children with cancer and their families. "We practise our beliefs but with respect for the others around us." 

The Australian Crime Commission told NewMatilda.com  recently that no links were found between the "legitimate halal certification industry" and the "financing of terrorist groups".

Still, Smith maintains halal certification is a religious tax and jihad is more subtle than terrorism.

A significant amount of products in Australian stores are halal certified including food from SPC, Sanitarium, Cadburys, Nestle, Kelloggs, Master Foods, Mainland, La Ionica and Kraft. Supermarket chains such as Coles, Woolworths, IGA and Ritchies pay for certification for some products, as do dairy factories and meat processors. 

According to the Q Society, 75 per cent of poultry suppliers, the four major dairy companies, 60 per cent of sheep abattoirs and more than half of Australian cattle abattoirs produce certified goods.

Still, the Australian Food and Grocery Council says halal certification costs are "negligible" and "highly unlikely" to change pricing. 

One of the main things that Smith and the anti-Halal movement objects to is foods or products that are deemed intrinsically halal  – such as white milk, honey and nuts – having halal certification. 

She claims certifiers put undue pressure on companies, blackmailing them with the threat of being branded anti-Islam or racist if they don't comply.

So far, South Australian dairy company Fleurieu has dropped its halal status – due to perceived negative publicity on anti-Halal social media pages – losing a big deal with Emirates Airlines in the process. It paid only $1000 to be certified. The costs of certification vary between $1000 for a small company to $27,000 a month for a large abattoir. 

Prominent brands such as Four 'N Twenty, Kelloggs, Byron Bay Cookies, Cadburys and Pauls have been targeted in online anti-Halal campaigns but have stood firm, all stating that halal certification means they can export their product to Muslim countries.

Yet, behind the headlines, the booming halal certification industry is wracked by upheaval and recriminations both domestically and in export markets, with allegations of bribes paid by Australian certifiers to an Indonesian Halal agency. 

The new Indonesian government has dismantled Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) – the country's main Islamic body and halal controller –  which approves halal imports, shifting the goalposts significantly in a highly competitive $12 billion export industry. 

The MUI has held a stranglehold on Australian halal exports by being able to dictate which Australian certifiers are favoured. But in one of the former Indonesian government's last acts, a new body – the Halal Product Assurance Organising Agency – was set up. It will be phased in over the next three years.

"The full impact on Australian exports will emerge only once detailed regulations are developed and implemented," an Australian department of agriculture spokesperson said. "The department will continue to work with the relevant halal-approving bodies in Indonesia to support Australian exports."

The bribery allegations were initially aired in Indonesian news magazine Tempo this year. Fairfax Media has established a Melbourne whistle-blower wrote to three Australian government departments including the Federal Police in March telling them of corruption allegations between the MUI and Australian halal certifiers trying to firm up the lucrative export market in Indonesia.

The allegations include bribes paid to the MUI. Fairfax Media has seen an MUI contract sent to Australian certifiers requiring them to "contribute in activities for the halal product service in Indonesia".

A Department of Agriculture spokesman said: "The department is unable to comment on any investigation that may currently be underway."

Halal certification in Australia is dominated by four big Islamic groups – one in Melbourne and three in Sydney. They are the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, the unofficial peak body; the Halal Certification Authority Australia, the Supreme Islamic Council of Halal Meat in Australia and the Islamic Coordinating Council of Victoria.

There are 21 Islamic groups approved by the federal government to issue halal certificates but many – in regional areas – service only small meat processors. The big four, all classed as not-for-profit enterprises, do the bulk of the work across meat and non-meat products.  

Internationally, the halal market is valued in the trillions with 20 per cent annual growth, fuelled by a rising Muslim middle class in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia and the increasing reach of affluent Muslim travellers.

Big Australian certifiers are heavily regulated by the Australian Quarantine and Export Service (AQIS; a federal government body within the Department of Agriculture) but this covers only export products. Halal certification for domestic products, restaurants and butcher shops is unregulated. This is estimated to be about 10 per cent of the total halal market.

"I can make cheese in my little factory and get a local organisation to certify it halal," says Ahmed Kilani, who runs a Sydney halal consultancy and co-founded the website Muslim Village. 

"I could set up tomorrow to certify butchers and restaurants. I can charge whatever I want. Who certifies the certifier? It should be written into the law but it isn't."

Mohammed Khan, of certifiers Halal Australia, says he has been pushing the government for tighter domestic halal standards since 2008 with no traction. He says certain certifiers enjoy a state-by-state monopoly at the expense of other hopefuls. 

In contrast, the big export certifiers are audited by the Australian government and also by Islamic governing bodies in countries that receive the products. 

"These are mainstream organisations. They are not start ups," says Ahmed Kilani. Just "one local scandal," he says – misuse of funds or non-halal products being certified – could have a major economic impact.

"If a product is exported to say Indonesia or Saudi Arabia then the governments of those countries have whole departments full of scholars and food scientists looking closely at what happens. They are not going to give a backyarder permission to certify."

Under Islamic law, the money the certifiers earn is supposed to cover costs and if there is any left it goes to the Muslim community organisations that the certifying company is aligned with – mosques, schools and welfare groups. 

Those who control the certification rights can also fund imams and bring preachers to Australia. Sydney-based Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) set up an Islamic school in Tarneit in Melbourne's west and an Islamic centre on Christmas Island for Malaysian Muslims, says chief executive officer Amjad Mahboob.

"The international halal market is huge," Mahboob says, "and Australia being a primary producer of food items means we are relied upon so it's very important the credibility of what we do is protected at all times."

Yet that credibility has sometimes been brittle. In 2003, a court case involving Shafiq Khan, an influential figure around Sydney's Supreme Islamic Council of Halal Meat in Australia, saw former supporters swear he had diverted without approval more than $1 million to charities, including his own Al-Faisal College, at the expense of constituent charities. Former Prime Minister John Howard opened the college in 2000. Mr Khan negotiated a settlement and agreed to return the money to the council.

In 2009, the Victorian Supreme Court found the Islamic Co-ordinating Council of Victoria (ICCV) had defamed a competitor in the lucrative halal trade, and ordered damages be paid.

Then in 2012 a Sydney Islamic school aligned to the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils was ordered to pay back $9m in NSW government funding after it was found money had been allegedly diverted to the federation the peak body for halal certification in Australia. "It is a matter that is before the court," said Mahboob. "We are disputing the [NSW] minister's findings."

This year, in a Federal Court trademark case it was revealed two Sydney kebab shops got free fake certificates from a wholesaler, which if they'd opted to buy them elsewhere would have cost $5000 each. 

In Melbourne and Sydney, the certifying industry has begun to move away from predominantly Middle Eastern interests  towards businesspeople from Turkey and the Balkans.

An investigator familiar with the industry said it was a "highly competitive"  and "very incestuous" market. "It is riven with factions," he said. 

Credibility can also be an issue to those seeking a boycott on halal products can also face. Theirs is a campaign that has been hijacked to an extent by extreme right-wing groups such as Restore Australia, the Australian Defence League and the Patriots' Defence League.

Last year, a Queensland woman was charged with food tampering after stickers stating that halal food funds terrorism were attached to coffee in a supermarket. The woman charged bought the stickers from former One Nation candidate Mike Holt -- who has raised funds for a contentious campaign to stop a mosque being built in Bendigo. 

Kirralie Smith, meanwhile, says she is being courted by all kinds of small political parties to stand for Parliament. 

"All of the minor parties have asked me to represent them. 'You have to be our senator,' they say, 'you have to be our candidate'. The Christian parties, the right wing parties. I really like [right-wing Christian Democratic Party politician in Sydney] Fred Nile, I think he is great. He would love me to join his party."

Early in 2015, Q Society will present a petition to federal parliament demanding the Corporations Act 2001 be changed to mean only Muslims bear the cost of halal certification on everyday products.

When pressed on the lack of evidence that Australian consumers are being ripped off by halal cartels – and that money raised funds nefarious activities – Smith says her  "primary focus" is lack of choices for consumers and she is "happy to be wrong" in her claims.

"I understand it is complex. I felt deceived that companies pay halal certification fees and there was no way as a consumer and an ordinary mum that I knew."

Why halal certification is in turmoil

Malaysian Christmas and the backdrop of Allah

Mohd Abdul Alam  24 Dec 2014

Long-standing dispute over Christian use of the word 'Allah' raises concerns about a very un-Merry Christmas.

On Christmas Eve, concerns have been voiced over a Muslim-Christian divide with the word 'Allah' [AP]

Malaysian Christians, who account for less than 10 per cent of the population, have always celebrated Christmas with great joy and enthusiasm.

Christians also enjoy Muslim-majority Malaysia's friendly holiday-time culture with shopping malls extensively decorated with Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and reindeers - as "Jingle Bells" plays in the background.

Malaysian Muslims have happily accepted Christmas get-together invitations from their friends, and the atmosphere during this holiday season has always been a pleasant one.

This year, however, Christmas celebrations may be held with mixed feelings against the backdrop of the bitter "Allah" case that concluded in June. 

That's when an Islamic court ruled the word "Allah" could not be used in local Christian publications. Christians say "Allah" had been used for centuries in Malay-language Bibles and other literature to refer to "God" outside of Islam.

The case caught the attention of the public with large crowds of Malay Muslims gathering at the court entrance demanding the court ban local Christian publications from using "Allah".

I have been receiving Facebook posts where some of my Muslim friends post statements from Muslim clerics prohibiting us from greeting Christians on Christmas Day.

- Juliana Omar, Malaysian Muslim

The ill-timing of a recent incident - with police seizing 31 copies of Catholic hymn books in the southern Malaysian state of Johor - begs the question: Have relations soured so badly between Malaysian Christians and Muslims that Christmas celebrations this year may not be so sweet any more?

Allah divide?

Kethy Mary, who is a Malaysian Christian, does not think so.

Living in eastern Malaysia, she said harmony between the two communities has hardly been affected and the spirit of Christmas celebrations this year will be as joyous as ever.

"On Christmas Day, I wake up by 4am to prepare food for my guests who are both Christians and Muslims. Of course, I ensure that halal food has been prepared for my Muslim guests," Kethy told Al Jazeera. "I leave for church at 7am and return home at 9am. By 11am, guests would have started arriving."

Kethy rejected the idea that churches should be protected by the police on Christmas Day for fear of vandalism. She said no such acts of violence would ever take place on December 25.

Malaysian Muslims such as Juliana Omar second Kethy's belief.

"I think the question of police protection for churches should not even come up. We are a peaceful society and do not believe in using violence to promote our ideas," Juliana said.

But she added: "I have my reservations against the Christians using the word Allah. On one hand, I feel it's fine for them to use the word Allah, but then why do they hesitate from using Issa [Arabic name for Jesus] for Jesus in their publication?"

Juliana said such arguments can be frustrating but she believes Malaysian society must stick to the old dictum "we agree to disagree."

"I have been receiving Facebook posts where some of my Muslim friends post statements from Muslim clerics prohibiting us from greeting Christians on Christmas Day," she told Al Jazeera.

While Juliana does not take these messages to heart and said this will not affect the festive Christmas mood in the country, not all people concur with her views.

Christmas violence?

Khadijah, who asked that her real name not be published for fear of reprisals, said feelings between the two religious communities have taken a wrong turn.

"I would go as far as to say that there should be police protection for churches during Christmas," she said. "While I as a Muslim strongly believe that Christians should be able to use the word Allah, many Muslim fanatics do not agree with me."

Khadijah said such people may hold deep grudges against the Christian community, which could result in negative incidents. She said the whole "Allah" dispute should never have been raised in the first place.

 

A Muslim woman wearing a niqab attends a protest against the use of the word 'Allah' by a Christian weekly magazine [EPA]

"My resentment is not against Christians but Muslims who actually oppose the usage, even more so against those who have a problem with us greeting Christians on Christmas."

In a country with a mixed population of ethnic Malays, Chinese and Indians and a myriad of religions, cultural and religious tolerance holds the key to a peaceful and stable Malaysia.

According to some, however, this religious and cultural harmony is difficult to achieve when tensions are created intentionally by political leaders.

Valery Jacques, a Christian from the Malaysian state of Selangor, said racial animosity is stirred up by local leaders to maintain power by using the historical policy of divide and conquer.

"Issues like this are continuously highlighted by politicians to create divisions and support the concept of divide and rule and instil fear rather than harmony," Jacques told Al Jazeera.

She said if this is the agenda of some political leaders, then the Malaysian community has to on its own realise what beliefs and actions are beneficial and harmful to the country as a whole.

"But this [divide and rule policy] is a false perception as the rulers and politicians are actually servants to the citizens who support their existence through taxes and election, and when people are tired of this then the time will come for change."

Jacques said this is already happening in the country and perhaps this year's Christmas celebrations will be a test to see if it can uphold the nationwide belief in a "one and united Malaysia".

Source: Al Jazeera

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/12/malaysian-christmas-backdrop-allah-201412249937711403.html

Malaysia court rules 'Allah' only for Muslims

Florence Looi 14 Oct 2013

Florence Looi is based in Kuala Lumpur and reports from Asia-Pacific region.

A Malaysian court has banned the use of the word "Allah" by the Catholic newspaper which has found some public support.

Nearly two-hundred members of different Muslim-rights groups had gathered outside the Court of Appeal early on Monday morning. They unfurled banners that read, among other things “Allah – Just for Muslim”.

Some had travelled several hours just to lend support to the government, which was seeking to uphold a ban on the use of the word “Allah” by the Catholic Church in its Malay language newspaper, “The Herald”. 

In the end, the three-member appeals court panel upheld the ban, backing the government’s argument that it was necessary to preserve national security and public order. 

A lower court’s ruling in 2010 allowing the Herald to use the word “Allah” led to a spate of attacks against churches and several mosques being vandalised in revenge attacks.

The court, in making its ruling, said the use of the word “Allah” was “not an integral part of the faith and practice of Christianity."

It went on to say that "It is our judgment that there is no infringement of any constitutional rights" in the ban, adding that "We could find no reason why the Herald is so adamant to use the word 'Allah' in their weekly [publication]. Such usage if allowed will inevitably cause confusion within the community."

It’s a position that’s highly unusual in the Muslim world and one that has surprised Islamic scholars.

Ahmad Moussalli, a professor at the American University of Beirut says “God or Allah in our language, the Arabic language is not an exclusive word. It is an inclusive word”.

Moussalli, who teaches modern Islamic history, says “The Arab culture is very diverse. If you look at sermons in churches in the Islamic world, you see them using the same word Allah. There is no reason to object to that usage by Muslim clergy or institution.”

In neighbouring Indonesia, a country with the world’s biggest Muslim population, Christians and Muslims alike use the word “Allah” to refer to God.

The Christian community in Malaysia, which make up nine per cent of the population, say they have been using the word “Allah”, the Arabic word for God, to refer to God in the Malay language for centuries.

Step into a church whose congregation speaks the local language, and you’ll hear the word “Allah”. Open a Malay language Bible, and you’ll see the word “Allah”.

The fear now is that the court’s decision, although at present confined to the Catholic newspaper, could have wider implications.  Already, some groups suggest that the decision could be interpreted to apply to other publications.

Ibrahim Ali, the Chief of the Malay rights group Perkasa, said “If you read the [court] decision, that the word of “Kalima Allah” cannot be used by anybody else besides Muslims, so to me it applies to anything, to any publication but it's up to authorities to address the issue, not me.”

Lawrence Andrew, the editor of “The Herald” called the Appeals Court decision unrealistic, describing it as a “retrograde step in the development of law in relation to the fundamental liberty of religious minorities”.

The case is far from over, with the Catholic publication saying it plans to appeal the decision. 

Malaysia court rules 'Allah' only for Muslims - Al Jazeera Blogs

Saudi women drivers Loujain Hathloul and Maysaa Alamoudi sent to 'terrorism court', activists say

Thursday 25 December 2014

Photo: A self-portrait of Loujain Houthloul tweeted during her drive towards Saudi Arabia (Twitter: @LoujainHathloul)

Related Story: Saudi woman arrested for defying drive ban: activists

Map: Saudi Arabia

Two women's rights campaigners detained in Saudi Arabia for defying the country's driving ban have been transferred to a special tribunal for "terrorism", activists say.

Loujain Hathloul has been detained since December 1 after she tried to drive into the kingdom from neighbouring United Arab Emirates in defiance of a ban.

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world which does not allow women to drive.

Maysaa Alamoudi, a UAE-based Saudi journalist, arrived at the border to support Ms Hathloul and was also arrested.

Activists said the ruling came at a hearing in Al-Ahsa, in the kingdom's Eastern Province.

They did not provide full details of the allegations against the pair but said investigations appeared to focus on the women's social media activities rather than their driving.

"They will transfer her case to the terrorism court," said an activist familiar with Ms Hathloul's case, adding that her lawyer plans to appeal.

Video: Loujain Hathloul tried to drive into Saudi Arabia in defiance of a ban on women driving (حملة 26 أكتوبر)

A second activist confirmed that Ms Alamoudi's case was also being moved to the specialist tribunal.

Ms Hathloul has 228,000 followers on Twitter.

Before her arrest she tweeted, sometimes with humour, details of the 24 hours she spent waiting to cross into Saudi Arabia after border officers stopped her.

Ms Alamoudi has 131,000 followers and has also hosted a program on YouTube discussing the driving ban.

In early December, Saudi authorities blocked the website of a regional human rights group which reported the women's case.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders this year named Saudi Arabia as one of 19 countries where government agencies are "enemies of the internet" for their censorship and surveillance.

In October, dozens of women posted images online of themselves behind the wheel as part of an online campaign supporting the right to drive.

In response, the Ministry of Interior said it would "strictly implement" measures against anyone undermining "the social cohesion".

Activists say women's driving is not technically illegal but that the ban is linked to tradition and custom in the conservative kingdom.

AFP

Saudi women drivers Loujain Hathloul and Maysaa Alamoudi sent to 'terrorism court', activists say - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Islamic State militants capture Jordanian pilot after plane crashes in Syrian province of Raqqa

Thursday 25 December 2014

Photo: A still image released by Islamic State showing a captured Jordanian pilot. (AFP: Welayat Raqa)

Related Story: Australians fighting with Islamic State implicated in sexual slavery

Map: Syrian Arab Republic

The UN has urged Islamic State (IS) fighters to treat a captured pilot humanely, after his warplane crashed in north-eastern Syria and pictures purportedly showed him surrounded by masked men with guns.

Jordan's armed forces said First Lieutenant Muath al-Kasaesbeh - the first captive taken from the US-led coalition battling the militant group - had been seized after a coalition air raid over the province of Raqqa.

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon condemned the pilot's kidnapping and called on IS to release him.

"The secretary calls on his captors to treat the pilot in accordance with international humanitarian laws," the UN said in a statement.

American officials dismissed claims by the militants that the F-16 had been shot down.

"Evidence clearly indicates that IS did not down the aircraft as the terrorist organisation is claiming," US Central Command, the body overseeing the coalition air war over Iraq and Syria, said in a statement.

The statement did not give a cause for the crash and confirmed the lost jet's pilot had been taken captive.

The IS branch in Raqqa published several photographs on jihadist websites purporting to show its fighters holding the pilot, with a caption identifying him as Jordanian.

The photographs showed the pilot, wearing only a white shirt, being carried from a body of water by four men, and also on land, surrounded by about a dozen armed men.

The images were verified by two relatives contacted by Reuters, who said they had been notified by the head of the Jordanian air force. The army separately confirmed his name.

Photo: A photograph reportedly showing an IS fighter with the wreckage of a Jordanian F-16 in Syria's Raqqa region. (AFP: RMC/STR)

"Jordan holds the group and its supporters responsible for the safety of the pilot and his life," an army statement read on state television said.

The statement described IS as a "group that does not conceal its terrorist plots, committing many criminal acts from wanton destruction to killing innocent Muslims and non-Muslims in Syria and Iraq".

A friend said Lieutenant Kasaesbeh, who is from a prominent Jordanian family, was fervent in his commitment to his mission and felt it was a religious duty to fight extremist groups such as Islamic State that were "distorting the true spirit of Islam".

The pilot's father, Safi Yousef, appealed to the captors to show mercy and release his son, whom relatives said was a pious Muslim.

Jordan part of US-led coalition

Jordan is one of the countries participating in the US-led coalition, which has been bombing Islamic State targets in Syria since September.

The staunch US ally has provided a logistics base for the US-led air campaign and is a hub for intelligence-gathering operations against the jihadists.

A US National Security spokeswoman said the administration was in close touch with the Jordanian government and "our thoughts and prayers are with the pilot, his family, and our partners in the Jordanian armed forces".

Both the Syrian government and the US-led coalition regularly bomb IS targets in Raqqa province.

Jordan's King Abdullah has been in the forefront of regional US allies supportive of the campaign but has said radical Sunni extremists could not be defeated by military means alone and their ideology must be confronted with reason.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have also joined or supported the strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria, according to US Central Command.

Events in Syria are difficult to confirm because of restricted media access to conflict zones.

Reuters/AFP

From other news sites:

• Yahoo!7 News Wed at 8:42pmWed 24 Dec 2014, 8:42pm IS downs warplane over Syria, claims capture of Jordan pilot
• CNN Wed at 3:35pmWed 24 Dec 2014, 3:35pm ISIS claims capture of Jordanian pilot after plane shot down over Syria
• BBC Wed at 3:49pmWed 24 Dec 2014, 3:49pm Islamic State 'shoots down coalition plane in Syria'
• The Age yesterday at 11:49pmWed 24 Dec 2014, 11:49pm 'More than 1000 jihadists killed' in US-led Syria strikes: monitor
• The Wall Street Journal Wed at 8:14pmWed 24 Dec 2014, 8:14pm Islamic State Shoots Down Coalition Warplane, Activists Say

Islamic State militants capture Jordanian pilot after plane crashes in Syrian province of Raqqa - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Islamic State fighters from Australia involved in sexual slavery in the Middle East, Yazidi activist says

Middle East correspondent Matt Brown Wednesday 24 December 2014

Photo: Islamic State fighters kidnapped hundreds, perhaps thousands of women and girls from the Yazidi minority. (Reuters)

Related Story: Women, children sold as sex slaves by Islamic State: rights group

Related Story: Islamic State boasts of enslaving women and children

Map: Iraq

At least two Australians fighting with the extremist Islamic State group have been implicated in sexual slavery in the Middle East.

Islamic State fighters kidnapped hundreds, perhaps thousands of women and girls from the Yazidi minority when their seized control of northern Iraq in the middle of this year.

Since then some have been released after their families paid a ransom, and others have escaped.

Amena Saeed is a Yazidi activist from northern Iraq. She helped free and resettle some of the victims and said they told her an Australian member of the group was involved at a site across the border in Syria.

"Most of those held by the terrorists are women and children," she said.

"So far, some 500 have been released. Some of them who were released from this place told us that amongst the guards, one was from Australia - an Australian man."

While there is no independent proof of the man's identity, Ms Saeed said the girls had no doubt the fighter and captor was Australian and that his nationality was well known.

"The girls had told me this man was infamous because he was one of the Islamic State leaders," she said.

 

Who are the Yazidis?

Who are the followers of a mysterious ancient faith surrounded by Islamic militants who now threaten to kill them all?

"They stayed two months in Syria after they were transferred from Mosul.

"The ISIS leaders used to visit them and forced the women to become Muslims. So they spoke together for a long time and that's also how they know their nationalities."

Ms Saeed's account is backed by Amnesty International, who have said four Yazidi women and girls have identified two Lebanese Australians.

The organisation said they held the Yazidis in their homes, with one already living with his Australian wife and their children.

Amnesty's recent report cites victims who said the fighters separated out married women from those who were single and then concentrated on the youngest and prettiest among them.

Even men who are not fighters with Islamic State have been involved.

Amnesty has been told that local businessmen in Mosul who had good relations with the militia have taken abducted Yazidi girls and registered marriages at the local Sharia court it established.

The thousands of Yazidis who have disappeared in the last four months are amongst Iraq's mass of displaced people with the UN mission's latest report estimating more than two million people have been forced from their homes.

More on this story:

• Women, children sold as sex slaves by Islamic State: Amnesty International
• Islamic State: jihadists boast of enslaving Yazidi women and children
• Yazidi women 'sold into marriage' by Islamic State
• Yazidis plead for assistance as Australia prepares aid drop
• US weighs risky mission to snatch Yazidis from IS siege
• Yazidis maintain faith despite centuries of persecution
• Yazidi sect members stranded after deadly IS onslaught

Islamic State fighters from Australia involved in sexual slavery in the Middle East, Yazidi activist says - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Turkey turns gaze from EU to Russia

TODAY'S ZAMAN / ISTANBUL Monday December 22, 2014

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attend a news conference at the presidential palace in Ankara on Dec.1, 2014. (Photo: Reuters)

Some politicians and analysts believe that a pipeline deal following Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent visit to Turkey demonstrates that Ankara is distancing itself from the European Union and is choosing to form new alliances, notably with Russia.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Adana deputy Faruk Loğoğlu told Today's Zaman on Monday that Turkey and Russia have both been isolated for different reasons and they therefore wish to “ease the feeling of loneliness by getting together.”

During Putin's visit, Russia and Turkey agreed to increase economic ties, with Putin announcing that Russia would stop construction of the South Stream natural gas pipeline to Europe, instead naming Turkey as its preferred partner for an alternative pipeline.

“The South Stream project may seem to bring Turkey and Russia together; however, it increases Turkey's energy dependency on Russia. Turkey's involvement in the project also seems like a challenge to the EU,” said the CHP deputy.

Putin said those who want Russian natural gas can now buy it from Turkey after Russia and Turkey signed an agreement to build a natural gas hub on Turkey's border with Greece. The news of Russia's decision to drop the South Stream project has caused worry in the EU, at a time when EU countries and the US have imposed sanctions on Russia due to the situation in Ukraine.

Çanakkale University Rector Sedat Laçiner has stressed that Turkey and Russia have been going through a period in which both countries have strained ties with the EU. “Both countries aim to overcome their problems with the West via cooperation in the East,” Laçiner told Today's Zaman on Monday.

The EU has been pursuing new energy suppliers after imposing sanctions on major Russian oil producers due to Russia's annexation of Crimea in March.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini visited Ankara in early December and touched on Putin's visit to Turkey.

Mogherini said the EU would not be drawn into a battle with Russia for influence over Turkey, following Moscow's announcement last week that it was scrapping the South Stream gas pipeline project and naming Turkey as its preferred partner for an alternative.

"It would be good if in the future we create more areas for cooperation rather than competition [with Russia] but Turkey is definitely out of this game, if there is a game in this sense," she said.

Reports said Turkey's lack of support for Western sanctions against Russia over its invasion of parts of Ukraine was on the agenda of Mogherini and the EU officials that accompanied her. According to the reports, the EU officials pressed Turkey to join in the sanctions, or at least stop taking advantage of the current situation, exporting certain products to Russia.
However, when asked about the claims that EU officials asked Turkey to join in the sanctions on Russia during their visit, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the EU delegation did not convey such a demand to him during the meeting.

FM Undersecretary Sinirlioğlu visits Russia

Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu paid an official visit to Moscow on Dec. 21-22 for talks on bilateral and regional issues.
Sinirlioğlu was scheduled to meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Ministers Mikhail Bogdanov and Grigory Karasin during his visit.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement on Monday that the Turkish and Russian officials exchanged views on developments in Syria, Iraq and Ukraine along with several other international issues.
On Thursday of last week, Putin praised his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, calling him a “man of strong character” because he had stood up to Western pressure and not tried to maintain secrecy over the new energy agreement between Ankara and Moscow. Answering a question regarding Western requests for Turkey to join the sanctions against Russia during an annual press conference in Moscow, Putin said that he had proposed to Erdoğan that he not publicize their new agreement on energy cooperation. “But he [Erdoğan] is a strong man. He said: ‘No. We will publicize it.' This is the choice of our Turkish partners,” Putin was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency TASS.
Turkey, which has vowed to protect the rights of the pro-Ukraine Crimean Tatars, has criticized the forcible seizure of Crimea from Ukraine and its subsequent annexation but has no intention of joining the Western sanctions imposed on Russia in the wake of the Ukraine crisis.

Putin also suggested that he is keen on developing further cooperation with Turkey on regional issues. “Our priorities coincide in many regional issues. They can't be resolved without Turkey's participation,” he was quoted as saying by TASS.
After Putin's visit to Turkey, the BBC Turkish Service ran a story describing the meeting between Putin and Erdoğan a “summit of precious loneliness,” clearly referencing Deputy Secretary-General of the Presidency İbrahim Kalın's remarks praising Turkey's stance on certain international issues, which he characterizes as “precious loneliness.”
The BBC's Suat Taşpınar pointed out that both countries are having problems with their respective international relations and do not take kindly to any criticism from the West. Putin and Erdoğan are often compared to each other in the Western press for espousing a drift toward authoritarianism.

Record 17,000 join nationalist march in Germany

Agence France-Presse in Berlin Tuesday 23 December 2014

Many in Berlin shocked by emergence of far-right anti-Islamist group Pegida as growing numbers join weekly Dresden protest

• ‘Pinstripe Nazis’ show the immigration debate is overheated

A group called Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West organised the demonstration on Monday. Photograph: Jens Meyer/Associated Press

A record 17,000 people have joined the latest in a string of demonstrations against Islam in Dresden, eastern Germany, celebrating the rise of their far-right populist movement by singing Christmas carols.

The march on Monday night was organised by Patriotic Europeans Against Islamisation of the West – a group that has grown rapidly since its first protest in October.

Politicians from all major parties have been stunned by the emergence of the right-wing nationalists who vent their anger against what they consider a broken immigration and asylum system.

About 4,500 counter-demonstrators marched through the city under the slogan “Dresden Nazi-free”, warning that there was no space for racism and xenophobia in the country that perpetrated the Holocaust.

Most Pegida followers insist they are not Nazis but patriots who worry about the “watering down” of their Christian-rooted culture and traditions. They often accuse mainstream political parties of betraying them and the media of lying.

Braving cold and wet weather, they gathered outside the historic Semperoper concert hall for their pre-Christmas recital. Police put their numbers at about 17,500, up from the previous high of 15,000 a week earlier.

The management of the opera house signalled its distaste by turning the building’s lights off and flying flags outside that read: “Open your eyes”, “Open your hearts”, “Open doors” and “Human dignity is sacrosanct”, the first line of the national constitution.

The Protestant bishop of Saxony state, Jochen Bohl, said the Pegida followers, by singing Christmas carols, were seeking “to exploit a Christian symbol and a Christian tradition” for political purposes, German news agency DPA reported.

Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, of the centre-left Social Democrats, called for concerned citizens to launch a “rebellion of the decent” against the anti-foreigner movement, saying “that’s the kind of public reaction we need now”.

Pegida, born in a city that was part of communist East Germany until the fall of the Berlin Wall 25 years ago, has spawned copycat groups in western areas which have failed so far to attract similar crowds.

Smaller clone groups rallied Monday in the western cities of Bonn, Kassel and Wuerzburg, but they only drew up to 200 followers each and were all vastly outnumbered by counter-demonstrations that drew 20,000 nationwide.

Police reported no major violence but said eight people were temporarily detained after confrontations in Kassel, reported German news agency DPA.

The biggest anti-Pegida march was held in the southern city of Munich, where at least 12,000 rallied under the banner “Make space – Refugees are welcome”.

“We have space for people of different skin colour, ethnic origin and mother tongue,” city mayor Dieter Reiter told the crowd.

“We have space for all religions and believers: for those who go to the mosque on Fridays, who go to the synagogue on Saturdays, or to church on Sundays, but also for those who prefer to just stay home.”

The movement has emerged at a time when Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, has become the continent’s top destination for asylum seekers, and the world’s number two destination for migrants after the United States.

The influx of refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and several African and Balkan countries has strained local governments, which have scrambled to house the newcomers in old schools, office blocks and army barracks.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has cautioned Germans against falling prey to any form of xenophobic “rabble-rousing”, while other lawmakers have deplored the new “pin-striped Nazis”.

Record 17,000 join nationalist march in Germany | World news | The Guardian

Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson named as victims in Sydney siege

Brigid Delaney and Calla Wahlquist Tuesday 16 December 2014

Dawson, a 38-year-old barrister and mother of three children, and Johnson, the 34-year-old manager of the Lindt cafe, were killed after being taken hostage in the attack

• Follow rolling coverage here
• Sydney siege ends as tactical response police storm Lindt Cafe and hostages run out
• #illridewithyou: hashtag offers solidarity with Sydney’s Muslims
• What is the significance of the Sydney siege flag?

Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson, the two hostages killed in a dramatic 16-hour siege at the Lindt cafe in Sydney. Photograph: AAP

Police have named the two victims in the cafe siege as barrister Katrina Dawson, 38, and 34-year-old Tori Johnson, who managed the Lindt cafe. Both are from Sydney.

Johnson’s family released a statement to Channel 9’s Ben Fordham on Tuesday.

“We are so proud of our beautiful boy Tori, gone from this earth but forever in our memories as the most amazing life partner, son and brother we could ever wish for,” it read.

“We feel heartfelt sorrow for the family of Katrina Dawson.

“We’d like to thank not only our friends and loved ones for their support, but the people of Sydney; Australia and those around the world for reaching out with their thoughts and prayers.

The family expressed their “deepest gratitude” to the police, armed forces and paramedics for the efforts during the siege, and asked the media for privacy.

Johnson had worked at the Lindt cafe for more than two years, and had previously worked in other cafes in Sydney and in the US. He had worked at the Martin Place cafe since 2012.

He moved back to Australia in 2004 after a three-year stint overseas, working at hotels in the US and the Maldives, his LinkedIn profile showed.

He studied hospitality business management at Washington State University in 2002 and 2003, and held a diploma of hotel management.

Peter Manettas, from Nicks Restaurant and Bar group, where Johnson
worked for more than six years, told Guardian Australia he “always put everyone else first”.

“He was a leader. He was a very selfless person, he always put his staff before anything else,” Manettas said.

He said Johnson was close to his family, and maintained close ties with many of his former co-workers when he left to work for Lindt.

“Family was very, very important to Tori,” Manettas said.

“A day wouldn’t go by in the period that he was working with us that
he would not mention his family.”

“Everyone is deeply saddened ... our deepest sympathies go out to Tori’s
family. It’s a very, very sad day.”

Another former colleague, Tony Manno, who worked with Johnson at Sydney’s Adria Rybar & Grill, told the ABC he was shattered to hear the news.

“Tori was a great guy, a good guy to be around,” he said. “He got on really well with all the staff.

Lindt Australia chief executive Steve Loane released a statement about Tori Johnson on the Lindt Chocolate Cafe Australia Facebook page.

“Tori had been with us at Lindt for just over two years and he was a great ambassador for our company and the store that he managed, which he cared about passionately,” Loane said.

“He was a dedicated professional who always built a great rapport with his customers and was much loved by the Lindt team. By nature he was a perfectionist and he had a genuine passion for the hospitality industry and people.

“He was a really important part of our management team in Australia and his loss is absolutely tragic. Our thoughts are with his family and we will do all that we can to provide ongoing support and help for them during this very difficult time.

“We also wish to express our deepest condolences to the family of Katrina Dawson, another tragic loss.”

Dawson, a 38-year-old mother of three, was with fellow barrister Julie Taylor buying a coffee in the Lindt cafe when the gunman attacked.

Taylor and Dawson practised in the Eight Selborne chambers not far from the Lindt cafe.

Three members of chambers were held hostage in the cafe, according to a statement from the New South Wales Bar Association early on Tuesday. It is believed Taylor was forced to appear in one of the propaganda videos made by the gunman during the siege. The videos were released onto social media early on Tuesday.

Dawson was a highly regarded commercial barrister whose areas of practise included banking and insolvency law, commercial competition and consumer law, Corporations Law, Equity and Property.

She was the sister of prominent media barrister Sandy Dawson, and the daughter of McKinsey executive and a sculptor. Sandy Dawson recently represented Fairfax Media in its defamation case against the treasurer, Joe Hockey.

Katrina Dawson completed a law degree at the University of Sydney and a Masters in law at the University of NSW.

She was married to Paul Smith, a partner at Mallesons, whom she met while completing her clerkship at the firm.

A friend of Dawson’s told the Australian Financial Review: “I can’t even believe it is her. Just that face, the dimples, the eyes – she was just unforgettable
really.”

“I remember thinking how capable she always seemed, balancing a career
and her kids.”

“One time we met for coffee and her two kids were bouncing all over her, drinking their baby chinos and decorating her plate with salt and pepper. But she was just so relaxed and doting on them.”

Fairfax Media reported that Dawson had three children aged under 10 – two girls and a boy. The youngest, a girl, is four years old.

Dawson attended Ascham – a private girls school in Sydney’s east. She topped the state in the Higher School Certificate in 1994, with a TER of 100, and topped her bar exams, Fairfax Media reported.

The NSW Bar Association released a statement on Tuesday morning: “It is with a heavy heart and deep sorrow that I must inform members of the New South Wales Bar Association that Katrina Dawson, of 8 Selborne Chambers, passed away in the early hours of this morning. Katrina, together with two other members of the NSW Bar, were held as hostages during the incident at the Lindt Cafe in Phillip Street, Sydney, yesterday.

“Katrina was one of our best and brightest barristers who will be greatly missed by her colleagues and friends at the NSW Bar. She was a devoted mother of three children, and a valued member of her floor and of our bar community. Our thoughts are with her family at this time, including her brother, Sandy Dawson of Banco Chambers.”

In addition to her commercial practice, Katrina Dawson was a volunteer legal worker in Redfern.

Today the Redfern Legal Centre tweeted: “We mourn the loss of Katrina
Dawson today, who contributed to the community in many ways including
volunteering at RLC for many years. She’s remembered as one of our best
volunteers who was well liked by all. Our thoughts are with her
family, friends and colleagues today.”

According to a report in The Australian, Dawson got her coffee most days from the Lindt cafe. When news of the siege broke, fearing the worst, her family tried to contact her via text, and in her chambers. Her children were being informed today.

The other two barristers with Dawson in the cafe were Julie Taylor, believed to be mid-way through a pregnancy, and Stefan Balafoutis – one of the first to escape.

He was not speaking to media but is understood to have been assisting police throughout the night.

Lindt chief executive Ernst Tanner released a statement this morning, expressing his “deepest sympathy to the victims and their families”.

“In these difficult times we all need to stand together in order to defend the values of freedom, peace and tolerance,” he said.

Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson named as victims in Sydney siege | Australia news | The Guardian

Sydney siege: Man behind Martin Place stand-off was Iranian Man Haron Monis, who had violent criminal history

By the National Reporting Team's Lorna Knowles Tuesday 16 December 2014

Video: Watch Lorna Knowles' report (ABC News)

Photo: Man Haron Monis was the gunman behind the Sydney cafe siege at Martin Place. (ABC News)

Related Story: Live: Tributes flow for victims killed in Lindt cafe siege in Sydney

Related Story: Muslim community reacts with 'shock, horror, aversion' to Sydney siege

The gunman killed during the siege at the Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Sydney's Martin Place was an Iranian cleric with a violent criminal past.

Man Haron Monis, who was granted political asylum in Australia in 2001, was on bail for a string of violent offences, including being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife.

He was also facing more than 50 sexual and indecent assault charges and had a conviction for sending abusive letters to families of deceased Australian soldiers.

Police negotiated with Monis, via hostages, for 16 hours on Monday before officers stormed the building at 2:00am (AEDT) on Tuesday.

He entered the cafe about 9:45am (AEDT) on Monday and held 17 staff and customers inside throughout the day.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott revealed more about Monis' background in his press briefing this morning.

What we do know is that the perpetrator was well known to State and Commonwealth authorities. He had a long history of violent crime, infatuation with extremism and mental instability. We know that he sent offensive letters to the families of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan and was found guilty of offences related to this. We also know that he posted graphic extremist material online. As the siege unfolded yesterday, he sought to cloak his actions with the symbolism of the ISIL death cult.

His former lawyer, Manny Conditsis, told the ABC that Monis was an isolated figure who had acted alone.

"He came to Australia in the late 1990s as I understand it, obtained political asylum in 2001. He fled Iran because he was in fear of his life from the regime at that time," Mr Conditsis told ABC News Breakfast.

Lone madman or networked warrior

We must avoid defaulting to the view that any criminal act involving a garbled interpretation of the Islamic message is part of a pre-meditated, co-ordinated attack, writes John Blaxland.

"Monis personally faced charges as a result of writing letters to the families of deceased Australian soldiers.

"They were dealt with in 2013. Subsequent to that he was charged with accessory before and after the fact in relation to the murder of his former spouse. Eventually he got bail.

"I appeared for him in December of 2013 when he obtained bail essentially based on a case that was presented by the prosecution at the time. It had significant weaknesses in it. I think that had a significant impact on him getting bail at that time."

More recently, he was charged with more than 50 allegations of indecent and sexual assault. Police allege the assaults took place in 2002, when Monis was a self-proclaimed "spiritual healer" operating out of premises in Wentworthville.

It is alleged that Monis placed ads in local newspapers offering "spiritual consultation". He claimed to be an expert in astrology, numerology, meditation and black magic.

But it was Monis' ongoing legal battle over his conviction for sending offensive letters to the families of dead Australian soldiers between 2007 and 2009 that may have tipped him over the edge.

The siege followed an unsuccessful, last-ditch attempt in the High Court to have the charges overturned.

Reporter recalls meeting gunman

ABC court reporter Jamelle Wells reflects on her first encounter with Man Horan Monis during his 2009 court appearance for sending harrasing letters to families of deceased soldiers.

Monis was sentenced to 300 hours of community service and placed on a two-year good behaviour bond for the "offensive and deplorable letters" sent with the help of his girlfriend Amirah Droudis.

They were sent to the families of Private Luke Worsley and Lance Corporal Jason Marks, who were killed in Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008.

He also sent a letter in 2009 to the family of the Austrade official Craig Senger, who was killed in the bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta in 2007.

Monis claimed the letters were his own version of a "flower basket" or "condolence card".

He challenged the validity of the charges in the High Court, arguing they were political.

But he lost and at trial, pleaded guilty to all 12 charges against him in August 2013.

Mr Conditsis represented Monis last year when he was charged with being accessory to the murder of ex-wife Noleen Hayson Pal, who was stabbed and set alight outside a western Sydney unit.

"Knowing he was on bail for very serious offences, knowing that while he was in custody some terrible things happened to him, I thought he may consider that he's got nothing to lose," he said.

Radical Muslim cleric goes unchecked

In this article first published in 2009, ABC Religion broadcaster Rachael Kohn wrote about the "extreme attention-seeking behaviour" of Sheik Haron, the man behind the Sydney siege.

"Hence participating in something as desperate and outrageous as this."

He said Monis claimed to have suffered poor treatment while in prison.

"He was put through let's say some very unpleasant events, involving matters of excrement over himself and his cell," he said.

Mr Conditsis said the public could be assured the siege was not the work of an organised terrorist group.

"This was a one-off random individual," he said.

"It was not a concerted terrorism event or act.

"It was a damaged-goods individual who did something outrageous."

 

From other news sites:

The Courier-Mail earlier today at 2:01amTue 16 Dec 2014, 2:01am Sydney siege: Gunman identified as self-styled sheik Man Haron Monis, on bail for accessory to murder

The Observer yesterday at 8:17pmMon 15 Dec 2014, 8:17pm Man Haron Monis: Police reveal the name of siege gunman

Daily Telegraph earlier today at 2:08amTue 16 Dec 2014, 2:08am Hostages held by 'Islamists' in Sydney cafe siege: live

Irish Independent earlier today at 12:57amTue 16 Dec 2014, 12:57am Sydney Siege: Gunman named as 'self-styled Sheikh' Haron Monis

Chicago Tribune earlier today at 12:57amTue 16 Dec 2014, 12:57am Sydney siege: Iranian refugee with criminal past named as gunman in hostage standoff

Sydney siege: Man behind Martin Place stand-off was Iranian Man Haron Monis, who had violent criminal history - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Sydney siege: Two hostages and gunman dead after heavily armed police storm Lindt cafe in Martin Place

 

Gallery: Siege in Martin Place, Sydney

Photo: Lindt Cafe manager, 34-year-old Tori Johnson, who was killed in the siege. (Supplied)

Related Story: Live: Tributes flow for victims killed in Lindt cafe siege in Sydney

The cafe manager killed in the dramatic final moments of a siege in Sydney was shot while trying to grab the gunman's weapon, sources say.

Tori Johnson, 34, and Sydney lawyer Katrina Dawson, 38, died following the 16-hour siege at the Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Sydney's Martin Place.

Police stormed the building after explosions and yelling were heard about 2:10am (AEDT).

Multiple sources have told the ABC that Mr Johnson tried to grab the gunman's weapon when he appeared to be falling asleep.

Authorities would not confirm whether he and Ms Dawson were shot by the gunman or killed in crossfire.

Photo: Lawyer Katrina Dawson (left) and Lindt cafe manager Tori Johnson died after being held by a gunman for more than 16 hours. (Supplied)

Seventeen people were taken hostage by self-styled Iranian cleric Man Haron Monis shortly before 10:00am on Monday morning, but five ran free later that afternoon.

Police said three female hostages, aged 75, 52 and 43, sustained gunshot wounds and all were in a stable condition.

A police officer, 39, was treated for a minor gunshot wound to his face and discharged from hospital.

Two pregnant hostages, aged 30 and 35, were assessed at the scene.

Mr Johnson's parents released a statement expressing their sorrow and thanking police and the public.

"We are so proud of our beautiful boy Tori, gone from this Earth but forever in our memories," it said.

"Let us all pray for peace on Earth."

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has visited Martin Place, where he and hundreds of members of the public have left flowers and signed condolence books.

 

Man Haron Monis had been released on bail

NSW Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said Monis was well-known to police and had a history of crime and violence.

 

Key Points:

• Two hostages and gunman Man Haron Monis killed in siege
• Tori Johnson, 34, and Katrina Dawson, 38, were pronounced dead after being taken to hospital
• Loud explosions and yelling were heard when police entered the cafe about 2:00am (AEDT)
• Monis held 17 hostages in the cafe, a dozen of them for more than 16 hours
• Several hostages emerged from the cafe before police stormed the building
• Police say Monis acted alone and no explosive devices were found at the cafe
• Monis was an Iranian cleric on bail for a string of violent offences, including being an accessory to the murder of his wife
• Prime Minister Tony Abbott described the siege as a "brush with terrorism" and said the perpetrator had used the "symbolism" of Islamic State

She could not confirm if the gunman fired at the hostages, or whether Mr Johnson was trying to wrestle Monis's gun away from him.

"We have not even had an opportunity to properly and thoroughly gain that information from the people who were in there," Deputy Commissioner Burn said.

"Every single bit of information will be gathered over the next period of time but it is difficult at the moment because we are dealing with people who are understandably traumatised about what has happened, and it will take us time to piece together what has occurred."

The 50-year-old gunman, who was granted political asylum in Australia, was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital.

Monis was on bail for a string of violent offences, including being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife.

He was also facing more than 40 sexual and indecent assault charges and had a conviction for sending offensive letters to families of deceased Australian soldiers.

Photo: Hundreds of people have left flowers and signed condolence books at Martin Place. (702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan)

The ABC understands police seized property from the home of his girlfriend, Amirah Droudis, at Belmore in south-west Sydney this morning.

Droudis was charged last year with murder over the stabbing death of Monis's wife.

NSW Attorney-General Brad Hazzard said he was frustrated that new bail laws, which may have kept Monis in custody, have been delayed.

They are due to take effect on January 28 after police and judicial officers are trained.

Video: Police storm Lindt cafe (ABC News)

Mr Abbott said today Monis had a "long history of violent crime, infatuation with extremism and mental instability".

"As the siege unfolded yesterday, he sought to cloak his actions with the symbolism of the ISIL death cult," he said.

"There is nothing more Australian than dropping in at the local cafe for a morning coffee and it's tragic beyond words that people going about their everyday business should have been caught up in such a horrific incident."

Mr Abbott is expected to travel to Sydney this afternoon for briefings with police and security agencies.

 

Police saved many lives: Commissioner Andrew Scipione

Just before police stormed the building, at least five hostages came running from the cafe with their hands up and one man lay down on the floor as police patted him down.

Minutes later what sounded like gunfire and explosions could be heard.

NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said the situation changed suddenly inside the cafe, allowing more of the hostages to escape.

Police then made the quick decision to put their emergency action plan into place and they moved inside the building.

Soon after police entered the cafe, paramedic crews who had been stationed at the scene throughout the day were seen carrying people out of the building on stretchers, and one patient could be seen being resuscitated.

Thanking all the officers involved in the siege, Commissioner Scipione said: "I want to point out they have saved lives, they have saved many lives."

He said of the hostages: "I can only imagine the terror that they've been through. They are very brave people who in many cases were buying a cup of coffee and they got caught up in this dreadful affair."

"We should reflect on their courage, the courage that they displayed during the many hours in that room."

He said it was an isolated incident and urged: "Do not let this sort of incident bring about any loss of confidence of working or visiting our city."

"It was the act of an individual. This should never destroy or change the way of our life."

 

Muslim groups offer prayers for victims, denounce 'nutter'

Dozens of Muslim groups have issued a joint statement expressing sympathy for the families of those killed.

"We pray for the speedy recovery of all those injured and traumatised," Australia's Grand Mufti, Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, said in the statement.

Radical Muslim cleric goes unchecked

In this article first published in 2009, ABC Religion broadcaster Rachael Kohn wrote about the "extreme attention-seeking behaviour" of Sheik Haron, the man behind the Sydney siege.

"We are confident that with a continued display of responsibility and restraint, community harmony will be maintained."

Keysar Trad, from the Islamic Friendship Association, said the siege was the "action of a nutter", which should not be linked to global terrorism.

Monis's former lawyer, Manny Conditsis, described his client's ideology as "so strong and so powerful that it clouds his vision for common sense and objectiveness".

"Knowing that he was on bail for very serious offences, knowing that whilst he was in custody some terrible things happened to him, I thought he may consider that he has got nothing to lose, hence participating in something as desperate and outrageous as this," Mr Conditsis said.

"This is a one-off random individual. It's not a concerted terrorism event or act. It is a damaged-goods individual that has done something quite outrageous."

Commonwealth and NSW Government buildings are flying flags at half-mast and hundreds of people have visited Martin Place to leave flowers and sign condolence books.

One of them, inner-city worker Terri Lucia, said: "I just can't believe that it's happened to our country.

"I haven't slept all night, just wondering what's going to happen, and it's just so surreal. I'm just so shocked today."

Iranian-Australian Bibi Ehsani said Australia's Iranian community was shocked.

"[The] Iranian community were very saddened and heavy-hearted when they heard the news this morning and when they found out the gunman was Iranian-born," she said.

"Usually the Persian-Iranian people are very soft-hearted and very loving, caring for others."

Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher told a service at St Mary's Cathedral that "the heart of our city is broken by the deaths of two innocent hostages".

"Hell has touched us. Only history will tell how much December 16, 2014 will affect our attitudes, behaviour, lifestyle, in this city."

Video: Man Haron Monis reads letter he sent to family of British soldiers

This morning, NSW Premier Mike Baird addressed a media conference and said: "I come before you with the heaviest of hearts. Unbelievably overnight, we have lost some of our own in an attack we never thought we would see here in our city."

"In the past 24 hours, this city has been shaken by a tragedy that none of us could have ever imagined. The values we held dear yesterday we hold dear today. They are the values of freedom, democracy, and harmony.

"These defined us yesterday, they will define us today, they will define us tomorrow. Our first thoughts and prayers this morning are with the innocent victims of this horrendous, vicious attack."

 

'Hostages started pouring out of the building'

ABC reporter Siobhan Heanue described hearing a volley of gunfire and screams before officers stormed the cafe.

"The sound ricocheted throughout the tall buildings around the area... and hostages started pouring out of the building," she said.

"Some running, some able to walk, some with their hands up, and some being carried by ambulance staff."

Shortly after Monis locked the hostages inside the cafe, some were seen with their hands up while others were made to hold a black flag with Arabic writing against a window.

Heavily armed police officers took up positions in the pedestrian area, which was cleared for several blocks.

Several hours later, at about 4:00pm, two men ran from a front door of the cafe while a man wearing a Lindt apron came out of a side door.

About an hour later two women who worked at the cafe ran from the building.

The police operation has concluded and the investigation into the entire incident will be overseen by the Professional Standards Command, a police statement said.

Video: Sydney siege: Hostages flee Lindt cafe in Martin Place (ABC News)

"All information will be provided to the coroner who will determine the cause of, and make any findings about, the events leading to the deaths," the statement said.

Lindt and Sprüngli, which owns the cafe, released a statement on Facebook thanking NSW Police and offering support to the siege victims and their families.

Chairman Ernst Tanner said: "I cannot believe that such an act of violence happened."

The chairman of the US congressional homeland security committee, Michael McCaul, said American and Australian agencies were working to determine if there were any other potential plots or co-conspirators.

"[Monis] does pledge his allegiance to ISIS on his website and he calls the Australian servicemen Hitler's soldiers, so we are concerned about these types of homegrown violent extremists in Australia, but also in western Europe and in the United States," Mr McCaul said.

Photo: Two women, representing Sydney's Muslim community, lay flowers at Martin Place. (ABC News: Jessica Kidd)

Sydney siege: Two hostages and gunman dead after heavily armed police storm Lindt cafe in Martin Place - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Israel: the next super power

Aisha Noor December 10, 2014

Israeli occupation has decided to demolish Al-Aqsa Mosque and build the Jewish Temple in its place. On November 5th, Israeli forces raided and searched villages and neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem, detaining over a dozen youths. On November 4th, Israeli Housing Minister Uri Ariel told a massive rally of Israeli settlers that the time to build in Jerusalem and the West Bank without restriction had come. Speaking to the Israeli Kol Berama radio station run by the Jewish extremist movement Shas, Ariel said building the Jewish Temple is the paramount demand of the Torah as it is at the forefront of Jewish salvation. He called for a third Temple to be built on the site, which is today home to the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque and is considered Judaism’s holiest site and Islam’s third holiest. The very words to focus on are ‘the time to build…has come’

Israeli settlers and officials keep desecrating Al-Aqsa Mosque every day. They believe that Zionism is an occupying power that enabled Zionist Jews to occupy Palestine with the help of world powers. No place in the Holy Land is as fiercely contested as the 37 acre hilltop compound where the Al-Aqsa mosque stands. Last year, Jewish Home MK Zevulun Orlev also called for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple, saying that removing the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque would mean that the “billion-strong Muslim world would surely launch a world war.”

Some Muslim scholars, such as Sheikh Prof. Abdul Hadi Palazzi and Imam Dr Muhammad Al-Hussaini believe that the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and the establishment of Israel, is in accordance with the teachings of Islam. Prof. Khaleel Mohammed, Islamic Law scholar of the San Diego State University, noted that Surah 5, Verse 21 of the Qur’an, says that Israel belongs to the Jews. He translates it thus: “Moses said: O my people! Enter the Holy Land which God has written for you, and do not turn tail, otherwise you will be losers.” Mohammed here understands “written” to mean this is the final word from God on the subject. In the light of the given verse, it is not to be taken that Jews have every right to occupy the Holy Land.

In the current scenario, the crisis in the Middle East shows a great change in the region. Israel has seen its strategic position enhanced by the overthrow of Egypt’s populist Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi, a political change that has further isolated the Hamas-led Palestinians in Gaza. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, the Shiite movement of Hezbollah has come under increasing military and political pressure after sending militants into Syria to support the Assad regime. Israel is benefiting from the Sunni-Shiite divisions ripping apart the Islamic world as well as from the Egyptian coup which further weakened Hamas by reimposing the Gaza blockade. Now, Israel has a freer hand to dictate a political solution to the already weak Palestinian Authority on the West Bank when peace talks resume. “The twin crises in Syria and Egypt have marked the emergence of a new superpower coalition in the Middle East, the odd couple alliance of Israel and Saudi Arabia, with Jordan serving as an intermediary and the Persian Gulf oil sheikdoms playing a supporting role.”

Israel would like to see Iran undercut and isolated, with the additional benefit of hurting Hezbollah and further alienating the Palestinians from important sources of support, i.e. Iran and Syria. The emerging Saudi-Israeli alliance may also have serious ramifications for global geopolitics. In 2013, the US has strengthened itself and in turn its global position by starting the process of normalizing relations with Iran. But this strength of the US doesn’t seem probable for a long time. Only a generation ago, the United States was in such sound financial condition that it was the world’s greatest lender. That is no longer the case. Due to its overspending, it is now one of the most indebted nations in history. Moreover, Jewish lobbies control the world’s money and, by extension, it’s political systems. Israel refuses to cooperate with the UN. Israel has long had stormy relations with the UN Human Rights Council. Jewish author Arthur Herman in an article at Fox News on January 31, 2013, claimed that the Arab Spring has made Israel stronger than before. “The Arab Spring has spawned a chaos and instability in every country it has touched that’s going to grind on for years to come. A new report warns that Egypt is on the verge of collapse; Israel’s old adversary Syria, already is. Both are also very likely headed towards economic ruin– as has already happened to Israel’s other foe, Hamas in Gaza, and could hit Iran next,” he wrote. All these factors contribute to the belief that Israel would be the next superpower.
The writer is researcher and designer.

aishaz99@gmail.com

Israel: the next super power