Posted on 08/23/2005 8:47:21 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
MOSQUES and Islamic schools will come under scrutiny as the Federal Government works to prevent terrorist behaviour, Prime Minister John Howard says.
When asked if he was prepared to "get inside" mosques and schools to ensure there was no support for terrorism, Mr Howard said: "Yes, to the extent necessary". "I have no desire and nor is it the government's intention to interfere in any way with the freedom or practice of religion," he told Southern Cross radio today.
"We have a right to know whether there is within any section of the Islamic community a preaching of the virtues of terrorism, whether any comfort or harbour is given to terrorism within that community.
"Now, it's very hard for a government or any of its agencies to penetrate every aspect of life and we don't want to interfere with people's enjoyment of life – and bear in mind the overwhelming majority of Australians of the Islamic faith are good, loyal, upright, decent, committed Australian citizens and I don't want them to feel strangers in what they regard as their own country.
"Equally, if people are not willing to give their first loyalty to this country then they obviously must understand that that will arouse enormous concern within the rest of the Australian community.
"It is a question of striking a balance and I believe enlisting the support and the goodwill of the people I spoke to yesterday was a very valuable framework and a very valuable first step."
Mr Howard met with Muslim leaders in Canberra yesterday with the aim of identify ways of preventing terrorist behaviour and steering "impressionable" young Muslims away from extremism.
Some Muslim leaders expressed concern Australia's ongoing involvement in Iraq was fuelling growing radicalism, but Mr Howard rejected this explanation.
"I mean, nobody can justify support for terrorism because they disagree with an aspect of our foreign policy and that is the antithesis of good citizenship and it is quite unacceptable to Australians," he said.
"There would be many Australians opposed to our involvement in the war in Iraq who would bitterly oppose any resort to terrorism by other Australians because they are also opposed to our involvement."
The Muslim leaders unanimously rejected terrorism at yesterday's meeting and distanced themselves from radical clerics who have recently praised terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden.
Good for him
Alright JOhn Howard
Big John got balls. The message is now out. I do hope all western nations shall take his lead on this. Surely we have to start making all Muslims feel they had better stay in line or they go bye bye.
Good post.
"Some Muslim leaders expressed concern Australia's ongoing involvement in Iraq was fuelling growing radicalism, but Mr Howard rejected this explanation"
Good God, someone with cajones AND common sense?
Can we borrow him here in America?
Se, here is where I would expect help from all those *cough* "Moderate Muslim", who can appear in a mosque and understand the baffelgab that goes on therein.
You would expect these guys to start quietly turning in those preaching terror and hatred.
Actually, if they had the courage of their convictions, they would make loud and public denouncement of the people they claim have "hijacked their religion". This will never happen, because it's clear there is a great well of quiet approval of the terrorist's among the moderate Muslims. After all, they have actually read the Koran, and they know the terrorists are right in their interpretation.
He really has taken the lead on not being PC. He just speaks his mind. Probably pisses off half of Europe on a continued basis. heh heh. Hopefully he can piss all 100% of them off soon.
I voted for him, you know! (Tries to hide pumped out chest)
"I voted for him, you know! (Tries to hide pumped out chest)"
heh heh. A man of wisdom. You guys are lucky to have him keeping things in the proper perspective. Have a pleasant day down under. I have to get some rest.
Agreed, but the other shoe is obviously monitoring of Christian groups perceived as posing some kind of threat.
Yes and when Christians start flying airliners into the Pentagon, I'll understand government's scrutiny of them.
Good place to start would be the Qurons that have been modified by the Saudi's that now says christians and jews are the enemies of Islam.
"Good place to start would be the Qurons that have been modified by the Saudi's that now says christians and jews are the enemies of Islam."
Now now. Must not tamper with their literally hundreds of dark little secrets. If the majority of Muslims world wide had the opportunity to become educated, and where introduced in all the historical facts, written by the Muslims over those first few centuries in Hadiths etc., they would all after refuseing to bow to allah the stone, then would toss the yolk cult off their brain and come into the real world.
Of course that is not meant to come to past.
"""Big John got balls."""
Didn't the Australians have a solid White Australia Policy until the late 60s?
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