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| Down Under |
| Vandals hit Islamic leader's cars |
| 2006-09-01 |
| VANDALS have targeted the cars of a prominent Victorian Islamic leader and his wife in an attack on their Melbourne property. Police are investigating after the front and rear windscreens of Ford sedans, parked in the driveway of the northern suburbs home of Yasser Soliman and his wife, were smashed overnight. Mr Soliman, who is a member of the Federal Government's Muslim Community Reference Group, discovered the damage as his wife prepared their children for school this morning. But he said neighbours had reported hearing noises and seeing a group of people jump out of a car in the street about midnight. He said state and federal police had fingerprinted the cars and conducted a doorknock in the street, but he had told ASIO in case of more attacks on Islamic leaders. Mr Soliman was at a loss to explain the attacks. "It's hard to know what the message or motivation is," he said. "They chose to walk up the driveway and attack both cars so they're sending some sort of message but I'm at a loss to identify what it is. "The damage in terms of peace and harmony in the street and suburb and concern it causes certainly does have a greater cost." Mr Soliman said the attacks coincided with email threats received by other members of the Islamic Community of Victoria in the past fortnight urging them to leave the country. While he could not pinpoint the motivation of the attacks he said recent reports portraying Muslims negatively, including controversy over a bid by a Melbourne Muslim girl to enter a beauty contest and Muslim parents removing children from music classes because of cultural clashes, were concerning. Mr Soliman said he contacted the parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Andrew Robb, and asked him to meet sections of the media to address the concerns. |
| Posted by:Oztralian |
| #14 We must also never forget the role of taqiyaa. Until Islam purges itself of this convenient catchall... Then it wouldn't be Islam. Islam is not going to change. Period. Full Stop. Wishing and hoping for an unchanging and unchangeable ideology to change is a waste of time. Some of us realize what it takes to defeat an evil ideology, but not enough of us do. Yet. |
| Posted by: Parabellum 2006-09-01 17:06 |
| #13 We seem awful quick today in advocating the destruction of a man's property based seemingly only on the fact he's muslim. Sorry, but that's good enough for me. It doesn't matter a whit that there may once have been "moderate" KKK members--the *ideology* itself was diseased and violent and anyone who would allow themselves to be associated with it was deserving of no sympathy. "Islam" is but another diseased and violent *ideology* that informed and decent folks have no part of. |
| Posted by: Crusader 2006-09-01 16:27 |
| #12 #4 Eh. Even money says it's an insurance scam. Robert I live in Melbourne, Victoria and when I saw the item on TV my first reaction was the same as yours, an insurance scam and also playing the victim. As they say "victimhood is empowering, because at least it allows you to actively participate in your own subjugation." That line seems to run very well on the local media. |
| Posted by: tipper 2006-09-01 14:51 |
| #11 Mr Soliman was at a loss to explain the attacks. "It's hard to know what the message or motivation is," he said. Unclear on the subject? I'm sure the perpetrators will be happy to repeat it for his edification. While it is unclear as to whether Mr. Soliman is any part of the jihadist network operating in Australia, it is obvious that anti-Muslim backlash is building. After so many gang-rapes and terror plots, this is no big surprise. We must also never forget the role of taqiyaa. Until Islam purges itself of this convenient catchall, which permits it any and every imaginable form of deceit, it'll be really difficult to maintain the least confidence that anything we are told by anyone of Muslim background has even a |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-09-01 13:17 |
| #10 We seem awful quick today in advocating the destruction of a man's property based seemingly only on the fact he's muslim. Never said his cars should have been destroyed. Just extrapolating from the rash of "hate crimes" turned insurance scams here in the US. Australia's seen a rash of vandalism against Jewish sites and property, all involving MOMEA -- "Men of Middle Eastern Appearance". So I fully expect a handful of faked "hate crimes" from the Muslims in Australia. It's SOP for the ROP. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2006-09-01 10:08 |
| #9 Google Mr. Soliman and the group: "...But group members had their own constituencies, containing critics who saw them as co-opted stooges. Members had to "deliver" to their audiences, and that included speaking out. A Victorian member, Yasser Soliman, president of the Islamic Family and Childcare Agency, says: "The Government has been very cautious, making sure it achieves its objectives. But in a partnership all sides have objectives." The group has been anxious about getting sufficient access to research and information gathered over the Past year. This issue has now been settled, and Soliman says "we feel we can face the communities and say 'this is what we've got for you'." Malcolm Thomas, president of the Islamic Council of Victoria, says the group "increased the volume of our voice", affording access to officialdom and for members to become aware of issues in other states. But expectations were created which were not met, he says, for which he blames both Government and group. The Immigration Department, which serviced it, and the group itself, struggled to define its role. "Were we looking at macro issues or on-the-ground ones?" The Government made it clear macro ones such as foreign affairs were not on the brief, he says. The department has tried to keep the group on a tight rein. One example was the heading off of a blast against Peter Costello after his toughly worded remarks about Sharia law in a February speech to the Sydney Institute. Taking issue with Muslim cleric Abdul Nacer Benbrika's claim that it was "a big problem" that there were two laws - Australian law and Islamic law - Costello said: "No, this is not a big problem. There is one law we are all expected to abide by. It is the law enacted by the Parliament . . . There are countries that apply religious or Sharia law - Saudi Arabia and Iran come to mind. If a person wants to live under Sharia law these are countries where they might feel at ease. But not Australia." Yasmin Khan recalls that at its February meeting the reference group decided it wanted to reply to Costello. Efforts to get a meeting with him failed for lack of a mutually convenient date. So, she says, the group proposed to issue a press statement. Khan prepared a draft, accusing Costello of having a "very narrow understanding" of Sharia law. The three-page document, headed "Muslim Community Reference Group reply to Peter Costello's remarks about the Muslim Community" said in part, "Sharia law is a large tract of legal rules and regulations that covers many different parts of our lives. Not only the religious side of things, but also in trade and finance, in banking and social welfare. But Islam also tells us that we follow the laws of the land of the country in which we live. "Suffice to say, nothing in Sharia is at odds with Australian law. Nobody has suggested that we implement Sharia law, however let us not summarily dismiss over 1400 years of thought and guidance. Our following of these laws does not in any way ostracise us from society, in fact this is why a lot of Muslim migrants are here, because they know that this country allows them the opportunity to follow their religion in peace." The statement suggested that if Costello or any parliamentarian wanted to debate citizenship or "mushy, misguided multiculturalism" (Costello's phrase) "they do so with the engagement of all Australians, rather than alienating any one community group". The group approved the statement, and Khan says it was sent to the department for release. It never saw the light of day. But the Israel-Lebanon war made the group more determined to get across a message - in this case its belief that the Government's position was one-sided. The Lebanese are a big nationality block in the group. Soliman says it was important for the group to reflect the Islamic community'sfeelings - if it hadn't, he said: "It would have put at risk confidence in our role as community representatives. We had to show a little bit of spine. At the same time, we understand the sensitivities - the politics being played in the background, the alliances." The group, however, had its own internal differences on aspects of the war. Ali pre-empted it in calling for the delisting of Hezbollah. This was not discussed at its meeting and some don't agree, although Ali (a moderate) does not retreat from it. "They are fighting in defence of Lebanon," he says. "If you proscribe them as terrorists and keep them away from the negotiations, you are not going to have a sustainable solution." |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-09-01 09:41 |
| #8 Move to London, sunshine. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2006-09-01 09:19 |
| #7 Well first, does anybody know if this guy espouses radical Islam? Do we know if he's tied in any way to a fundamentalist Islamic group in Australia? What exactly is the Muslim Community Reference Group? We seem awful quick today in advocating the destruction of a man's property based seemingly only on the fact he's muslim. Someone point me to evidence he's a problem, and I'll jump on your bandwagon. But in a pluralistic society, every law abiding and peaceful citizen has a right to be secure in his property and effects. Dropping F-bombs on a man without knowing anything about him other than his religion? Please. |
| Posted by: mcsegeek1 2006-09-01 08:42 |
| #6 RC's probably right. I thought - "It's hard to know what the message or motivation is," he said. was a dead giveaway things aint what they seem. No denunciation of Australian racism, John Howard's statement today, etc. Just, it's a mystery why someone would want to smash our cars for no reason. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2006-09-01 06:44 |
| #5 Wise words RC. Forgot about making financial gain from victimisation - one of the tenets of Islam. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2006-09-01 06:19 |
| #4 Eh. Even money says it's an insurance scam. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2006-09-01 05:25 |
| #3 Western societies were build on individuals' initiative. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-09-01 05:06 |
| #2 Howard-I agree i dont know why there is not more backlash in UK especially in Leeds and London???? |
| Posted by: Cheregum Crelet7867 2006-09-01 05:02 |
| #1 Reap what you sow motherfu**er. Surprised that there hasn't been more of this at home - probably due to the more forthright nature of our Antipodean cousins. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2006-09-01 04:50 |