IT CREEPS CLOSER

The first reaction. Somalia?  What’s a godforsaken sandpit in Africa got to do with Australian security? Unless you happen to be a target for pirates who use that lawless ghetto as a base. But then details start coming out about a series of nocturnal Police raids across Melbourne and a plot by Islamic extremists to launch a suicide attack on an Australian army base to kill as many soldiers as possible.

 And the international world on terror triggered by 9-11 in New York, and brought closer to home by the Bali bombers, creeps ever closer to our shores.

Overnight raids by Federal and State Police have been described as the second-largest  counter-terrorism operation in Australian history. And again, like the Binbrika-led terror squad, Melbourne is the hub.

Four men in their twenties were arrested in pre-dawn raids as houses were raided from Carlton to Preston, from Glenroy to Epping  and as far away as Colac. More arrests are likely.

The Australian newspaper, which broke the exclusive story today claims that suspects had already been monitored as they carried out surveillance on the Holsworthy  Barracks in western Sydney.

Reporter  Cameron Stewart says the group of suspects is believed to involve about 18 young men, with a core of hardliners, and they are identified as being from Lebanon and Somalia.

And that raises another delicate but pertinent issue. Both Police Commissioner Simon Overland and Prime Minister Rudd have touched on it.

The uncovering of this plot and the nationalities and religions of the accused does not mean that all Muslims are terrorists or sympathizers. Does not mean that all Middle Eastern and African migrants and refugees are infiltrators or camp followers.

There will be as many Muslims in this country, who cherish their new life and religious freedoms in this country, who will be as shocked and as angry as any Australian.

Many fled to places like Australia and the United States and Britain to get away from violence and intolerance and persecution.

But the reaction from many people will be a kneejerk one. Already suggestions that the only way to stop this is ban immigration. Ignore the fact that a quarter of us are migrants. And indigenous people would argue all whites are migrants.

A telling footnote. I read a Wall Street Journal report this morning that the British Government is planning to review its immigration policy to make it more difficult for foreigners to become citizens.

What we should be doing here is not ban immigrants. But increase security checks. And enforce deportation laws when people come here and break our laws. They should be sent back to where they came from. And I now believe that should apply to refugees as well.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

© Copyright Derryn Hinch 2009