'Anti-terror' laws under the spotlight

Issue 

Chris Slee, Melbourne

Seventy people met in Brunswick on August 9 to discuss ASIO's powers and how they have been used against the Muslim community.

Vicki Sentis from the Federation of Community Legal Centres chaired the meeting and spoke about the police raids on homes in Sydney and Melbourne. These raids, leaked to the media, resulting in sensational TV coverage, led to no arrests but were aimed at intimidating people. The victims have been threatened with up to five years' jail if they speak about what happened.

Sentis said the raids were part of a pattern that included attacks on freedom of association, manipulation of public fears and plans to extend the already extensive powers of ASIO.

Juchong Tan from Liberty Victoria spoke about ASIO's powers to detain people without trial and hold them incommunicado, except for very limited contact with a lawyer, for up to seven days.

Rob Stary, the lawyer defending Jack Thomas against charges under "anti-terrorism" laws, described how his client was seized in a "stage-managed" raid, with commercial TV cameras present, and put into solitary confinement in the Barwon high security prison. Thomas remained there for three months before efforts to get him released on bail succeeded.

Thomas was not arrested for any alleged actions against Australia or any Australian citizen, but for alleged contacts with a proscribed organisation when he visited Pakistan several years ago.

Les Thomas, Jack's brother, spoke about the "flimsy evidence" against his brother. Jack, a convert to Islam, visited Pakistan and Afghanistan (before September 11, 2001) to see what a "Muslim society" looked like. After the September 11 attacks he was arrested by the Pakistani police, held for five months and subjected to traumatising interrogation. Jack Thomas was then questioned by the Australian Federal Police with no lawyer present. The record of that interrogation is being used as "evidence" against him.

Waleed Ali told the meeting about ASIO raids in Sydney in October 2002, during which four children were held at gunpoint in the middle of the night. He said that, while most Muslims could accept raids if there is real evidence of crime, the manner in which these raids were carried out caused fear in the community.

Ali pointed out that such actions do not enhance security. On the contrary, he said, any policy or action that "creates fear, alienation and mistrust" will undermine security, as well as civil liberties. If there are any potential suicide bombers in Australia, he argued, the cooperation of the Muslim community will be essential to prevent attacks, so anything that alienates Muslims will be counterproductive.

From Green Left Weekly, August 17, 2005.
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