If you’re looking for detail on the Sydney siege and related tributes, see this post.
For details on the hostages of the Sydney siege, see this post.
Survivor of the London bombings, Gill Hicks is urging Australians to remain united in the wake of the Martin Place siege in Sydney.
The South Australian of the Year lost both her legs in the 2005 London bombings and has since become an advocate for peace. Speaking on 891 ABC Adelaide this morning, Dr Hicks said she was “incredibly proud” of the#illridewithyou campaign which began on Twitter yesterday to show support for Muslims in Australia.
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Islamic Society of South Australia president Walleed Al Khazrajy said the local community was shocked to hear about the attack in Martin Place.
He described the attack as terrorism, but said it was important to remember not all terrorism is associated with a religion.
“Yes it is an act of terrorism, every act of taking people as hostages or attacking the innocent, going about their normal life and they come under attack from any person is an act of terrorism,” Dr Al Khazrajy said.
“And terrorism should not at all times be associated with a religion, and this time, with Islam.
“The people who commit these acts and engage in acts of terrorism or any act of spreading fear and damage across the globe, not only here, has nothing to do with our religion.”
Local community ‘not equipped to rehabilitate extremists’
Dr Al Khazrajy said it was hard to offer support to young Australians being swayed into extremist views.
He said while he would always work hand-in-hand with state and federal communities, the Islamic Society was not equipped to rehabilitate youths with extremist views.
“We are not really equipped, we are not specialised in dismantling, and treating and addressing these youths,” he said.
“When reports come saying there are 70 people here in Australia [with extreme views] unfortunately we don’t know where they are because they don’t come to the natural outlets of our community.
“They don’t come to our celebrations, they don’t come to our events. They immediately go and withdraw themselves and be outsiders.”
He said past terrorist attacks had proven that even those close to the extremists, including their families, were unaware of their intentions to commit acts of violence.
Dr Al Khazrajy said he was confident Muslims in Adelaide would not be targeted after this attack.
“This time I feel more comfortable and I feel like Australia and the Australian community is more mature towards these events, because it is now quite clear in everybody’s mind it is an act of individual and nothing to do with the religion and nothing to do with the smaller community,” he said.
This story was originally published on ABC and has been republished with full permission
Top Comments
Dr hicks says we should look at how these people get this way. I will have a go. You start with being raised in a faith that categorically preaches there is only one god, the Muslim god, that anyone who does not share Muslim beliefs is an infidel, and that inter connection with Australians is not encouraged. No attempts are made to assimilate. Next you grow up in an Australia culture where the labor party and greens continually rubbish the elected govt and have suggested that Australia invaded Iraq , invaded Afghanistan. They paint David hicks as some kind of hero tortued by an anti Muslim govt. they also support every asylum seeker claim that Australian authorities are mean to them etc. these looney views are supported by the ABC brigade who continually give air time to morons like tony jones and Sara Hanson young. Throw in very lax judicial system that portrays the offender as a victim and you end up with people who are very religious and feel this religion over rules everything , hate Australia and Australians because we " pick on Muslims and support America killing Muslims" and these people aren't stopped by our pussy legal system and aren't assimilated because of our left wing , do gooder education system. That's how you make people who don't like us .
So what's your solution then Glenn? Go ahead and provide a detailed solution to the problem of young people turning to extremism?
Glenn, I couldn't see your point through all the stereotypes peppered through your 'argument'. Ever thought that it is that sort of attitude that could possibly "make people who don't like us?"
Ok , if you were born in 1960 s then I could say "how my generation was raised" and save this time but in case you are young this is how it's done;
1 the child is raised in Australia with a view that religion is NOT the most important thing. You give them a value system that includes don't kill, steal etc but its not tied to a fantasy friend. That way the child doesn't do bad things because he doesn't want to let his parents down , not Jesus or Mohammad or the tooth fairy etc.
2. The child is raised to accept people of all colours and belieffs and sex. They won't agree with other beliefs but they respect that people are different to them. This way by the time they are 12 they don't think they are better than girls because all women are covered and must sit in the back seat or enter by the back door. They will be aware of social injustices and if female wont marry a man who expects them to be a chattel, demanding and expecting respect. The boys around her will learn that girls are not their property.
3. The child is brought up to love Australia first. To be aware of the way we treated indigenous people and strive to improve it for everyone. To respect our elected government. At this point the greens party will stick to saving whales, and labor will oppose fairly without making up stories about out defence force and policing . Also. There will be an overhaul of our judicial system . Judges will be accountable and can be removed from their position. In the case of this recent idiot and the J ill Meahr cases, the judges who gave the killers bail would be sacked. Also bail laws will be toughened. Any fire arm offences for example, no bail. Sexual assault no bail, setting ex wife on fire, no bail.
4. Schools will change the left wing brainwash. Kids will be given real facts about climate, Iraq, asylum seekers, ethnicity of prison populations etc so they have a more balanced view of the world.
5. any new arrivals to Australia who committ a crime wil have to face a citizenship review .
6. New arrivals will not be given interpretors, or assistance in their own language thus expediting their need to learn English . The Italians, Greeks, Yugoslavs , Chinese were given no assistance and they assimilated.
7. A reduction of Muslim immigration until the current crop can assimilate . Also the banning of extreme religious attire.
8. Finally the removal of the word "multicultural" from our description . A new word which means one culture made up of some people of a different culture wanting to join Australian culture will have to be coined.
Omg, Glenn, you make me ashamed to admit that you're of a similar age to me (if you're born in the 60s), your plan is so full of crap. This is not the way we were brought up then and I sincerely hope you're not trying to pretend it was.
For example:
1. More people attended church in the 60s and 70s than now.
2. People were more casually racist then than now. People happily referred to new arrivals as "wogs" and "slope heads" in public then.
3. We weren't taught about indigenous australians at all.
4. We weren't given 'real facts' about climate change for example. Our school curriculum was very anglo centric, not at all balanced.
6. All not assisting people with interpreters did was confine older people to their homes, they did not assimilate. Let's not forget that children often went to greek or italian etc school on the weekends too.
Today's culture is certainly not perfect, but then, neither was yesteryears, no matter how much you romanticise it, or for that matter, neither is the liberal or national parties perfect either. They were vile in opposition themselves.
I have just seen a moron walking around my local shopping centre wearing a t shirt covered in Anti Muslim slogans.
No amount of discussion will be get through to tool like him & he looked as if he was itching for a show of solidarity or an argument so he could sprout his filth. O wouldn't bother to give a fool any oxygen.
But what really shocked me was he was eating a kebab from the food court!!!
Stupid & racist - If it wasn't so offensive it would be funny.
Unfortunately I have a tool of an ex husband like that! He's a member of the Australian protectionist party and is a racist fool. The irony.... he is first generation australian and the son of italian immigrants. What an idiot.
Racism and stupidity normally go hand in hand.