Islamic Groups Demand Revision of Australian Terrorism Laws
“The presumption that terrorism is inherently tied to religion is not only inaccurate but harmful,” said the group’s spokeswoman, Ramia Abdo Sultan, at a press conference, ABC News reported on Friday.
“This misconception persists despite extensive scholarly work demonstrating that terrorism is driven by political and ideological motives, not religious faith,” she added.
Abdo Sultan criticized ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess for his use of charged language such as “religiously motivated Sunni violent extremism.” She argued that this approach fuels Islamophobia, marginalizes the Muslim community, and undermines social cohesion.
The call for change comes in the wake of the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel at the Assyrian Orthodox Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Sydney’s south-west on April 15. A 16-year-old boy was arrested and charged with committing a terrorist act over the stabbing.
In response to the incident, about 400 officers from the Joint Counter-Terrorism Team (JCTT) raided 13 addresses across Sydney, arresting seven young people and questioning five more. Five boys, aged 14 to 17, were charged with various offences, including conspiring to prepare or plan for a terrorist act.
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Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett alleged that the police operation uncovered “a network of associates and peers who … share a similar violent extremist ideology” as the alleged church attacker.
However, the alliance of Islamic groups expressed concern over what they described as “a concerning pattern of questionable law enforcement tactics”.
Abdo Sultan called for an immediate review of the processes leading up to the raids to ensure “transparency and accountability”. She questioned the necessity and manner of these operations, citing the lack of evidence pointing to a concrete threat or plan among the youths. “This lack of transparency exacerbates the distress within our community,” she said.
Source: Agencies
