http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/raided-men-defend-their-part-in-jihad/2005/07/01/1119724815797.html
Four Middle Eastern men whose homes were raided by ASIO say theysupport a Taliban-style interpretation of Islam and have defendedtheir right to train with jihadists and support violent uprisingsoverseas.
But the men denied they filmed prominent landmarks in Australiaor were planning terrorist acts here, saying the claims wereconcocted to frighten the public.
Speaking for the first time, on condition of anonymity, theirleader said he hoped to see sharia, or fundamentalist Islamic law,established in his country of origin.
“Why is it an American or an Australian can go and fight in theIsraeli army and will not be called a terrorist when he comes back,but a Muslim who goes and fights is called a terrorist?” one of hiscolleagues said.
ASIO has said there are more than 20 people in Australia undersurveillance who have trained with extremist Islamic groupsoverseas, although the four men who spoke yesterday refused toconfirm or deny if they had done so.
All four men had their homes searched by more than 20 ASIO,Australian Federal Police and Victorian police officers in the pastfortnight, with computers and other records removed under searchand seizure warrants.
The raids led to media allegations – attributed to unnamedintelligence officers – they were plotting attacks on landmarks inMelbourne and Sydney.
The men said the claims were “rubbish” and designed to scare thepublic. No arrests have been made, and the men’s lawyer haslaunched an action to find the security official who made theclaims. The lawyer has written to the Inspector-General ofIntelligence and Security, Ian Carnell – among others – tocomplain.
Security sources said the raids were to gather intelligence and”rattle the cage” – showing radical Muslims they are being watchedand dissuading them from “taking the next step”.
Under new anti-terrorism laws, people raided by ASIO under aquestioning warrant are not able to speak publicly, a restrictionapplying to their lawyer also.
That means allegations aired in the media cannot bedefended.
The latest raids were carried out under a different type ofwarrant, which the Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, said this weekmeant the men were not gagged.
The four men said they were targeted because they wished topractise a “pure form” of Islam. “They don’t tell you in front ofyou, ‘We hate your religion’, but we believe this is the case,” thegroup’s leader said. “We would like to practise our religion, notaccording to the Western understanding or according to theirlegislation, but according to the Koran and the prophetMuhammad.
“According to the Australian Government, if you are Muslim youcan practise your religion but