CONVICTED terrorist Jack Roche will have to wait until next year to argue a claim that prison authorities are discriminating against him by not serving enough halal meat. English-born Roche, 50, became the first person to be convicted under Australian's new anti-terror laws after admitting to conspiring with terror groups Jemaah Islamiah and al-Qaeda to bomb the Israeli Embassy in Canberra. After changing his plea to guilty midway through his trial in May this year, Roche was sentenced to nine years in prison, which he is serving as a segregated prisoner in Hakea jail, 27km south of Perth. Roche, who converted to Islam in 1992, has lodged a complaint with the Equal Opportunity Commission alleging WA's Department of Justice is discriminating against him on religious grounds by denying him halal meat to eat.
During his sentencing hearing in June, lawyer Hylton Quail told the court Roche was essentially on a vegetarian diet, not out of choice, but because prison authorities had refused his dietary requests. But the justice department, which intends to defend the claim, has said all prisoners in Hakea are given access to halal foods. It has said Roche is receiving three halal meals a week alternated with vegetarian meals, while tinned halal meat or fish was also available from the prison canteen at cost price. A brief preliminary hearing into the claim was heard yesterday but it is understood the full hearing will not be until March next year. Suresh Rajan, president of Ethnic Communities Council of WA, said the justice department's stance was "mean spirited", and halal food should not be regarded as a treat.
| On that we agree, it's not a treat. |
"If you are going to provide him with halal food then you should provide it for all seven days — what is the issue there?" Mr Rajan said. "It is quite mean spirited to do it in half measures, and not decide one way or the other." Halal meat, including chicken and beef, has to be killed in the presence of a Muslim who prays to Allah as the carcass is left to bleed out. Muslims believe this rids the animal of impurities, making it more nutritious. Despite the justice department insisting Perth's Muslim community had confirmed the meals served at the prison were halal, AAP understands Roche remains unconvinced and is demanding proof.
| Toss the freshly killed chicken into his cell. What he does with it is his business. |
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