-♻RetweetAussie Islamic Leader Fears "Redneck" Backlash
Thu, Nov 10, 2005 at 8:27:48 am PST
Following the breakup of an Islamic terror cell in the final stages of planning a large attack in Australia, Muslim leaders are once again more concerned about “backlash” than about the presence of mass murderers in their communities: Warning on ’redneck backlash’.
A KEY Muslim leader has warned radical clerics to tone down their rhetoric and has voiced fears of a redneck backlash against his community.
President of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils Dr Ameer Ali said he planned to meet with government ministers today to seek greater protection for his community.
The Federal Government has scrambled to reassure Australia’s Islamic community that suspected terrorists, not Muslims, were not being pursued by security agencies following the arrests of 17 people in spectacular raids in Sydney and Melbourne.
Authorities said the raids had averted a “catastrophic” terrorist attack on Australian soil, claiming the group had been stockpiling chemicals that could make explosives. Only two of the suspects sought bail. Their applications were denied in a Melbourne court today.
Dr Ali was in Canberra today seeking assurances that the Government would “not allow the rednecks in this country to exploit this situation”.
A violent altercation erupted outside a Melbourne courthouse yesterday as some of the terror suspects appeared in court, when associates of the accused attacked media waiting outside.
Another Muslim organisation, the Forum on Australia’s Islamic Relations, said today the arrests were “nightmares come true” for Muslims.



