Friday, January 9, 2015

Sydney Morning Herald-A Third World mentality hiding behind a First World facade

This confirms what I realized a long time ago,when I arrived in Australia.That for all their First World pretensions,Australian newspaper editors, particularly those at Fairfax, the ABC and SBS; are often no more, if not  less sophisticated than their East and South East Asian counterparts. This admission for Judith Whelan:
The Sydney Morning Herald's news director, Judith Whelan, said she had decided not to run any of the cartoons depicting the Prophet, not for fear for the safety of staff but because it would offend a segment of the paper's readership. "I defend Charlie Hebdo's right to publish the cartoons, that does not mean we have to," she said. 
Is clearly at odds with the declarations of press freedom  made in  this editorial:
A comparison with South Asian editors would be unfair.There ,Australian editors cannot even claim superiority in the use of the  English language. 
END 

Search smh:

Search in:

Charlie Hebdo cartoons: media around the world chart different courses

Reading the latest issue of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris.
Reading the latest issue of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris. Photo: AFP
Washington: As Charlie Hebdo's journalists and the police who tried to protect them lay dead in Paris, editors around the world were suddenly confronted with a grave decision.
Should they mark their solidarity with their colleagues – and their fidelity to freedom of expression – by publishing the cartoons the assailants claim had provoked them? Should they instead consider the concern of offending their own readers and even the safety of their staff?
Different outlets charted different courses.
Some, such as the UK's Telegraph and the New York Post, published photos of Charlie Hebdo's editor Stephane Charbonnier holding one of the offending front-page cartoons, but either cropped the photo or blurred part of the image.
Advertisement
The Associated Press distributed no images that included the cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, in keeping with its longstanding policy on offensive images.
"We've taken the view that we don't want to publish hate speech or spectacles that offend, provoke or intimidate, or anything that desecrates religious symbols or angers people along religious or ethnic lines", said Santiago Lyon, a vice president of the AP and its director of photography, the Washington Post reported. "We don't feel that's useful."
He said it was not a capitulation to terrorist threats, but a policy covering all creeds and situations.
Later in the day it appeared the AP had also removed from distribution images of the controversial Andres Serrano artwork Piss Christ, after the conservative newspaper The Washington Examiner questioned the apparent double standard.
The Washington Post quoted its own executive editor, Martin Baron, as saying the Post avoids publication of material "that is pointedly, deliberately, or needlessly offensive to members of religious groups" and would continue to apply those principles in the wake of the Paris atrocity.
But the Post's editorial page, which operates with independent editorial management, decided to publish one of the cartoons in Thursday's editions.
It has selected the front page published before Charlie Hebdowas firebombed in 2011, which declared the following week's edition would be guest-edited by the Prophet Muhammad, who was depicted, with the slogan "100 Lashes If You Don't Die Laughing".
"I think seeing the cover will help readers understand what this is all about", said Fred Hiatt, The Post's editorial editor.
The Sydney Morning Herald's news director, Judith Whelan, said she had decided not to run any of the cartoons depicting the Prophet, not for fear for the safety of staff but because it would offend a segment of the paper's readership.
"I defend Charlie Hebdo's right to publish the cartoons, that does not mean we have to," she said. 
On Fox News commentators appeared throughout the day criticising censorship and self-censorship, though Fox aired none of the images.
In fact none of the major American networks or cable channels were showing images of the cartoons in their coverage through the day after the shootings.
An NBC News spokesperson told Buzzfeed,  "Our NBC News Group Standards team has sent guidance to NBC News, MSNBC, and CNBC not to show headlines or cartoons that could be viewed as insensitive or offensive".
A CNN memo obtained by Politico said,  "Although we are not at this time showing the Charlie Hebdo cartoons of the Prophet considered offensive by many Muslims, platforms are encouraged to verbally describe the cartoons in detail". It stated that photos of the cartoons held by demonstrators during protesters are "OK, if shot wide".
On social media many people shared the images as an act of defiance.
Buzzfeed and the Huffington Post published some of the offending cartoons, with the latter headlining its compilation of seven caricatures of  Muhammad, "These Are the Charlie Hebdo Cartoons That Terrorists Thought Were Worth Killing Over". 
In the last of them  Muhammad is depicted kneeling in the sand before a masked terrorist about to behead him with a knife under the heading "If the Prophet was resurrected".
Muhammad is saying to the terrorist, "I am the Prophet, fool!". He replies, "Shut up, infidel".
Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Australia can secure journalist Peter Greste's freedom by not supporting the Muslim Brotherhood

(REPOST-FIRST POSTED AT WWW.TERRORFINANCE.ORG)

Australia can secure journalist Peter Greste's freedom by not supporting the Muslim Brotherhood

by Ganesh Sahathevan
The Australian Government is reported to be in negotiations with the Egyptian Government to secure the release of one of it's citizens, the Al-Jazeera journalist Peter Greste.Greste  and two other Al-Jazeera employees are  accused of assisting the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Australian Government has made a number of high level ministerial representations in his favour,but to no avail. Meanwhile, Australia contonues to provide polticial asylum to members of the Brotherhood, and in doing so a base for operations( see notes below). 
In addition Australia has done nothing to stop  Human Appeal International from using  Australia as one of its main bases for sourcing funds, despite the not unfounded  concern that it finances terrorists and evidence of HAI breaching Australian laws.
The solution  to the problem of Peter Greste seems straightforward:Australia can and should offer to cut the Brotherhood's Australian supports.Indeed, that request was recently conveyed, but obviously ignored.
END 

 NOTES
The following is a collection of cases that were heard by Australia's Refugee Review Tribunal,and higher courts , where the applicants sought protection on the grounds of persecution because of political beliefs; in these cases evidenced by their membership of the Muslim Brotherhood.
In all these cases ,where the appeals have been successful, the decision was based on findings of whether the applicants had successfully proven membership of the Muslim Brotherhood.
 These cases must be read in full,but  I have provided some excerpts in order  to summarise the issue.I have also provided two Australian  newspaper reports where concerns were raised about the issue.
 
There are other cases  where the appeal failed because the applicant could not prove membership of the Muslim Brotherhood to the satisfaction of the tribunal or court.
 
  
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
The Cases
 
RRT Reference: N01/38786
Date decision made: 31 July 2002
....the Applicant claims that he has suffered and fears persecution in Syria because of political views which will be imputed to him because he has previously served several years imprisonment for being involved with the Muslim Brotherhood.
DECISION

  1. The Tribunal remits the matter for reconsideration with the direction that the applicant is a person to whom Australia has protection obligations under the Refugees Convention.
 
RRT Reference: N95/09809-June 1996
 
DECISION UNDER REVIEW

This matter concerns a decision made by a delegate of the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (the Minister), in effect, to refuse to grant the Applicant a protection visa, as provided for under the Migration Act 1958 (the Act). The Applicant was represented by a solicitor from Legal Aid.

In 1984 the Applicant joined the Muslim Brotherhood >> in Hyderabad. He said this was only possible by invitation from existing members. He had become significantly involved through his activities in the Muslim Student Union
 
Decision: The Tribunal remits the application for consideration in accordance with the direction that the Applicant must be taken to have satisfied the criterion that he is a person to whom Australia has protection obligations under the Refugees Convention
 
M196 of 2002 v MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION & ANOR[2005] FMCA 1650
 
MIGRATION – Refugee Review Tribunal – protection visa – confusion regarding meaning of 'jihad' and political group 'al Jihad' – whether denial of procedural fairness – reliance of textbook extract not put to applicant – whether jurisdictional error – whether breach of s.424 of Migration Act.
 
.The applicant before this court relies upon an application filed 1 September 2004 seeking judicial review of a decision of the Refugee Review Tribunal (the Tribunal) dated 3 July 2001. In its decision the Tribunal affirmed a decision of the first respondent's delegate to refuse to grant to the applicant a protection visa.

.The applicant is a citizen of Egypt who arrived in Australia on 7 March 2000. He travelled on an Egyptian passport issued in Kiev on 14 September 1999 and valid to 13 September 2006. When he arrived in Australia on 7 March 2000 he was the holder of a tourist short stay visa. Before he arrived in Australia the applicant has resided in the Ukraine for over five years.
6.On 20 March 2000 the applicant lodged an application for a protection visa, and on 8 May 2000 a delegate of the first respondent refused to grant the visa. The applicant then applied for review of that decision to the Tribunal on 1 June 2000.


"5. I have known the << Muslim Brotherhood >> for as long as I can remember. In around 1990, while I was still doing my national services, I was approached through men I knew from the mosque to become involved in the <<Muslim Brotherhood >>. I was invited to join the prayer groups and meetings. At this stage Islamic movements in Egypt were on the rise and I had friends who were joining << Muslim >> << Brotherhood >> and other organisations.
6. I was interested in the << Muslim Brotherhood >> because of my commitment to the Muslim faith. The mosque that I attended most was in (Y) although I also went to other mosques in surrounding towns. The <<Muslim Brotherhood >> was fairly strong in (Y).
7. Part of the reason that I was invited to join the <<Muslim Brotherhood >> was because I am a part of a big family in the (Y) area. I was asked to spread the <<Muslim Brotherhood >> message through my extended family.
8. I did not tell my immediate family about my involvement in the <<Muslim >> <<Brotherhood >>. I did not want them to know because I knew they would not approve as they knew the <<Muslim Brotherhood >> was an illegal organisation and that people were sometimes being arrested. The only one I told about my involvement in the <<Muslim Brotherhood >> until I was forced to leave was my younger brother, (M)." (Court book page 40)


RRT Reference: N96/12875 (10 November 1997)
Decision: The Tribunal remits the matter for reconsideration with the direction that the applicant is a person to whom Australia has protection obligations under the Refugees Convention
FINDINGS AND REASONS

The Tribunal found the applicant to be a credible witness and accepts his claim that he was a member of the <<Muslim Brotherhood >>. The applicant appeared sincere in describing his belief in the Brotherhood's aims, and the applicant's witness was credible in describing how he had been satisfied that the applicant was a member of the << Muslim Brotherhood >> as he claimed. The Tribunal also accepts as factual the communication from the << Muslim Brotherhood >> attesting to the applicant's membership of the group. The signatory to that document is a member of a family with a very high profile in the Brotherhood. One of the Bayanuni family is currently the controller-general of the Brotherhood (see BBC Monitoring Service, above).

The applicant therefore has a well-founded fear of persecution by the Syrian authorities, because of his political opinion and religious beliefs as a member of the <<Muslim Brotherhood >>, if he returns to Syria.

CONCLUSION

The Tribunal is satisfied that the applicant is a person to whom Australia has protection obligations under the Refugees Convention as amended by the Refugees Protocol. Therefore the applicant satisfies the criterion set out in s.36(2) of the Act for a protection visa.
 ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

Follower of radical Islamic movement granted asylum in Australia
Article from: Herald Sun
Padraic Murphy
August 27, 2009 12:00am
A FOLLOWER of a radical Islamic movement that seeks to introduce sharia law and has been linked to terrorist groups is being granted asylum in Australia.
The Refugee Review Tribunal has recommended a protection visa for an Egyptian man, who is a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamic political group with links to al-Qaida.
The Muslim Brotherhood has been outlawed in several countries, including Egypt.
It seeks to establish a pan-Islamic state ruled by sharia law and is committed to the destruction of Israel.
The Egyptian man initially was denied a protection visa by the Department of Immigration, but the decision was overturned by the tribunal.
"The tribunal is of the view that the applicant's decision to abandon ship, insistence on his rights not to return to Egypt for medical treatment, and behaviour towards his captain, if combined with his support for the Muslim Brotherhood, his low-level political activities and past expression of anti-government political views, would generate a profile that could attract the adverse attention of the authorities and focus their attention on his sympathies for the brotherhood," it found.
"On this basis, the tribunal is of the opinion that there is a real chance that this could place the applicant at risk of facing arrest, detention and ill-treatment."
Prof Greg Barton of Monash University said the Muslim Brotherhood had been linked to terrorist attacks, such as the Luxor bus bombing in 1997, but had since denounced violence, though many of its goals had been taken up by terrorist groups.
"Al-Qaida and other militant groups have benefited greatly from their ideas so it is true that the ideas produced by the brotherhood are taken further by more militant groups," he said.
"The brotherhood connection for anybody would automatically give Australian authorities a reason to check into their background."
Jeremy Jones, director of international affairs with the Australia-Israel Jewish Affairs Council, said the brotherhood presented a threat to democratic countries.
"The Muslim Brotherhood has been banned in many countries for good reason," he said. "It's not just it's attitude towards Israel that's of concern. It has strands that are very sympathetic towards terrorism."
Opposition immigration spokeswoman Sharman Stone said she would write to Mr Evans asking to have the decision overturned.
Immigration Minister Chris Evans said the man would have a rigorous security check before a visa was granted.
"Should there be an adverse security assessment, the department cannot grant a visa," he said.

AUSTRALIA has granted asylum to Muslim Brotherhood members

 
From The Australian April 22, 2006 by Natalie O'Brien ...

AUSTRALIA has granted asylum to five men who claim their membership of an organisation accused of ties to al-Qa'ida would expose them to persecution in their home countries. The men from Syria, Egypt and India sought protection on the basis of their membership of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been banned in Syria and is considered the father of terrorist groups including al-Qa'ida.

Osama bin Laden's right-hand man Ayman al-Zawahiri adopted the organisation. And earlier this month, The Weekend Australian revealed that one of the five asylum-seekers, Ahmad al-Hamwi, who arrived in Australia 10 years ago, was a senior al-Qa'ida bagman linked to 1993 World Trade Centre bomber Ramzi Yousef.

US terror expert Steven Emerson said the practice of allowing Muslim Brotherhood members into Australia was "extremely dangerous". Mr Emerson, credited with being the first expert to warn about al-Qa'ida, said Britain had a similar policy to Australia, which had led to a "high concentration of radicals" and the establishment of extremist networks there.
"I am astounded at such a policy ... there is no doubt that there are ties between the Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qa'ida," Mr Emerson said.

The five cases, which went before the Refugee Review Tribunal and the Federal Magistrates Court between 1996 and 2002, revealed the applicants had sought protection on the grounds they were members or associates of the Brotherhood. Two men were given protection in 2002, after the September 11 attacks in the US. The Syrian arm of the Brotherhood has been linked to the al-Qa'ida members involved in planning the attacks.

In one case that went before the RRT, a Syrian revealed how he had been recruiting members to the Brotherhood without specifically mentioning the group. He said he tried to attract recruits by speaking about the aims of the group to overthrow the Syrian Government and usher in an Islamic society.

The former head of security with the French secret service, Alain Chouet, has this month written a briefing for the European Strategic Intelligence and Security Centre, warning that the Muslim Brotherhood should not be underestimated. "Like every fascist movement on the trail of power, the Brotherhood has achieved perfect fluency in doublespeak," Mr Chouet wrote.

Tzvi Fleischer, an analyst with the Australia-Israel Jewish Affairs Council, said: "While only parts of the Muslim Brotherhood are terrorists, the rest are cheerleaders or apologists for terrorism."

But federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said the Muslim Brotherhood was not a listed terrorist organisation in Australia or in any of its allied countries. "It would be a flawed view to assume a person was a security risk simply because they had a link to an organisation of this name," he said. Mr Ruddock said anyone wanting to come to Australia was checked by intelligence agencies but the Government would be concerned if any new information came to light linking them to terrorist organisations.

Mr al-Hamwi was, by his own admission to the RRT, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood

Posted by  on April 20, 2014 at 18:24 | Permalink


Posted by at No comments:

Monday, December 22, 2014

A true test of the "vast majority of Muslims are peaceful" thesis-Liberal leaders should resist smirking, they could be next......

If Labor actually believed that the "vast majority of Muslims are peaceful peace loving people"this should not be an issue:






Public release of correspondence between John Robertson and Man Haron Monis.
Public release of correspondence between John Robertson and Man Haron Monis.


Robertson's explanation is entirely acceptable, he cannot be faulted.MPs and other elected representatives should not be expected to conduct background checks on all their constituents. 
Here however Labor leaders and members seem to be insisting that this case ought to have been treated differently, clearly because this man is Muslim. That is incongruent  with Labor,and the Liberals, insistence that the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful peace-loving people ("we dont blame the Pope for the IRA") and that is only a very small minority who are extremist (howsoever defined).
Now that Roberston is facing the axe for this simple letter of support, I suspect the summer break is going to be spent by many an elected representative carefully sifting through his or her  files,ensuring that their files do not contain correspondence that might implicate them.


NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson facing Labor axe over letter for siege gunman Man Haron Monis

  • MILES GODFREY AND ANDREW CLENNELL
  • THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
  • DECEMBER 23, 2014 12:00AM



OPPOSITION Leader John Robertson could face a leadership challenge as early as this week after revelations he signed a letter for Lindt cafe gunman Man Haron Monis.

Senior caucus colleagues last night launched a plot to topple Mr Robertson amid exasperation at his latest embarrassing gaffe, which has plunged Labor into disarray just three months before the state election.

“This is serious,” one senior Labor source said. “I think it’s unstoppable.”

Mr Robertson signed a letter for Monis in August, 2011, asking the Department of Family and Community Services (FACS) to allow the volatile extremist to see his estranged children. It was sent two years after Monis was charged with writing offensive letters to the families of slain Diggers.

The Labor source said the Monis incident was one of a “conflagration of problems” that had landed Mr Robertson in trouble.

The Labor leader also wrote to Roads Minister Duncan Gay in 2012 asking to him to reduce licence restrictions for Ewing Filipo, a reported bikie gang member.

Opposition treasury spokesman Michael Daley and environment spokesman Luke Foley are among those tipped to replace Mr Robertson.

A Labor source said: “Daley’s jumped the counter. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be Daley.”

Mr Daley did not return The Daily Telegraph's calls.




Man Haron Monis approached John Robertson for help in seeing his children.



Bankstown MP Tania Mihailuk has also been named as part of the push.

“Daley and Tania are hitting the phones hard,” another Labor source said.

“Daley is canvassing support as we speak.”

Andrew Clennell: Robertson signing his own death warrant

Editorial: Wrong man in Robbo’s corner

A petition of at least 12 signatures from Labor MPs would be required to force a spill. One MP speculated a spill could occur as early as this week: “If he goes of his own volition, you could hold it (a leadership ballot) over until new year but it (a spill) could be as early as this week.’’

Mr Robertson has led NSW Labor since 2011 but was not expected to win the March election and sources claimed any change of leader before the election would be to try and claw back Labor’s support in marginal seats.




Contender 2: Maroubra MP Michael Daley, elected in 2005, held roads, finance and police portfolios in last Labor government. A former corporate lawyer and Randwick Cr.


Contender 1: Environment spokesman Luke Foley was elected to the upper house in 2010. He is a former secretary and organiser of the Australian Services Union.



Leadership speculation has surrounded Mr Robertson since October last year, when The Daily Telegraph revealed he did not report to police the offer of a $3 million bribe from murdered standover man Michael McGurk while he was boss of Unions NSW.

Mr Robertson yesterday defended his involvement in the Monis letter debacle. He confirmed he acted on behalf of Monis after the extremist approached his Blacktown electorate office.

Monis was the subject of an AVO and engaged in Family Court proceedings when he sought help to arrange a supervised visit with his children on September 4.

Mr Robertson signed a letter outlining Monis’s request, which was sent to the NSW Department of Family and Community Services (FACS).




Under fire ... John Robertson.



He wrote: “It would be appreciated if you could consider this request as a matter of urgency given Father’s Day is Sunday 4 September 2011.”

FACS refused Monis’s request and Mr Robertson’s office relayed that decision to the Blacktown resident.

Mr Robertson said his electorate staff did not carry out background checks on Monis, though a simple internet search would have shown his history in the courts.

“He operated under many aliases over many years,” Mr Robertson said yesterday.

“My staff do not have the capacity to do Google checks or check on individuals.”


Posted by at No comments:

Monday, December 15, 2014

Abbott in his own words-School boy language suggests again he cannot trusted with our safety, unlikely to learn from the Martin Pl incident ,best stick to surfing

It is important to remember that in this and other common law countries intent ,and hence the mental capacity to form that intent,are STILL prerequisites to being found guilty of a criminal act.It is important to remember that Monis has
a string of criminal convictions, was out on bail, and never escaped conviction on the grounds of insanity or mental incapacity.
And really, an "infatuation with extremism"? Abbott seems to think that the jihadism is no different from his school boy fantasies...best he ,and Mike Baird, stick to the passions of their youth, surfing for instance....

Sydney cafe gunman infatuated with extremism, mentally unstable: PM




Sydney cafe gunman infatuated with extremism, mentally unstable: PM
Sydney cafe gunman infatuated with extremism, mentally unstable: PM

Sydney (AFP) - An Iranian-born gunman who took hostages in a Sydney cafe was infatuated with extremism and mentally unstable, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Tuesday, calling the siege a "brush with terrorism".
"He had a long history of violent crime, infatuation with extremism and mental instability," Abbott said. "As the siege unfolded ... he sought to cloak his actions with the symbolism of the ISIL death cult."
The 50-year-old, widely named in the media as Man Haron Monis, took 17 people hostage at the Lindt cafe in central Sydney on Monday.
He was killed when police in SWAT-style gear stormed the eatery early Tuesday. Two hostages also died.
Abbott said he was well known to Australian authorities.
"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," he said.
"We also know that he posted graphic extremist material online. Tragically, there are people in our community ready to engage in politically motivated violence."
Abbott praised police for the way they acted, saying Australians "should be reassured by the way our law enforcement and security agencies responded to this brush with terrorism".
"Plainly, there are lessons to be learned and we will thoroughly examine this incident to decide what lessons can be learned," he said, adding that "it will take time to clarify exactly what happened in Martin Place and why".


Abbott and Baird doing what they do  best.




Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)