AUSTRALIA: Aussie crackdown on books inciting terror

Ban on books that promote Muslim extremism implemented

The Straits Times
Thursday, July 21, 2005

By Roger Maynard

The Australian authorities plan to crack down on Islamic bookshops which sell literature inciting terrorism and promoting jihad.
 
The measure follows the discovery of books endorsing Osama bin Laden and promoting suicide bombing on bookshelves in Sydney and Melbourne.

Amid mounting concern in Australia about homegrown Islamic extremism in the wake of the London bombings, the shops could now be forced to close and their owners might face terrorism charges.

Federal and state police are examining a number of premises which sold books containing terrorist messages. One of them, in the Sydney Muslim quarter of Lakemba, reportedly advocated 'martyrdom operations'.

A Melbourne bookstore, run by fundamentalist cleric Sheik Mohammed Omran, was selling a book calling for Christians to be trampled underfoot. 'It is either Islam or death,' the book declared.

New South Wales Police Minister Mike Gallacher said immediate action was needed 'to get those books off the shelf'.

'If that means raiding them, so be it.'

Under Australian law, anyone found guilty of inciting terrorism faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail.

A task force has been set up to tackle the issue.

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said police would examine the offending literature, including one particular vitriolic tome which criticised the Australian way of life, to see if offences had been committed.

The crackdown on the books comes as a senior Muslim leader called on the government to deport clerics who preach violence.

Sheik Taj El Din al-Hilaly, an Egyptian-born Sunni Muslim and an Australian citizen, compared the spread of Muslim fundamentalism in Australia to Aids.

He told The Australian newspaper that young Muslims were drawn to the firebrand preachings of a handful of local and visiting clerics who had little religious training.

'They try to motivate them with aggressive speak rather than teach them about their religion,' he said. 'And boys love conflict.'

Date Posted: 7/21/2005