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'Jihad' Jack asks: Why me?
 JACK Thomas; the target of the nation's first control order; says he is an innocent man caught in the Government's war on terror. "I feel betrayed, I honestly do ... and I'm hurt," Mr Thomas, 33, has told the Herald Sun. "I do not believe in killing innocent people and never will. I want to scream it from the rafters. "I do everything I can to be open and honest. "I reject killing innocent people, of any type. I reject killing flies; it's what I've been taught by mum and dad, and it's what Islam teaches us. "I believe in an eye for an eye. "I believe in justice." The man dubbed "Jihad" Jack was this week hit with a court order imposing a midnight-5am curfew at his Williamstown, Melbourne, address, strict controls over who he can contact, and mandatory reporting to police. He said he was being worn down by a Howard Government campaign to secure another conviction for terrorism. "I don't think it's personal, but I just happened to be the one. If it wasn't me, it would be someone else. "I do feel hurt that they are using me, because all I ever wanted was to get back to my family. I haven't done anything wrong. We just feel like it's all come down like an avalanche." Convictions against Mr Thomas for receiving support from al-Qaeda and using a falsified passport were quashed on August 18 when Victoria's Court of Appeal ruled that his admissions were involuntary. But he may face new charges based on a media interview in which he spoke about undergoing weapons and explosives training in Afghanistan. Mr Thomas, a father of three, has served 14 months in prison; five months in Pakistan and nine months in Australia; all but three months of it in solitary confinement. The Australian Federal Police will decide next week whether they will pursue fresh charges. Accompanied by his wife, Maryati, Mr Thomas yesterday played with his children; Amatullah, 5, Salsabil, 2 and Gabriel, eight months; in a western suburbs playground. He said he was a patriotic fifth-generation Australian who would never conspire to hurt his country. While declining to comment on matters directly before the court, he said his travels to Afghanistan and Pakistan were an adventure and no more. "It's an Australian thing to do, go on an adventure. They talk about the Anzac spirit and the free-roving spirit, but the reality of it is it just doesn't seem to run through." In the park, a local woman with her child walked up and embraced Mr Thomas, saying he had her full support. An emotional Mr Thomas thanked her and went on to say he had trouble walking the streets without being recognised. He told of an incident earlier this year while driving a late-night taxi when he picked up two off-duty female police officers. After driving them home, they asked him to pose for them in a photograph with their dog. A chef by trade, Mr Thomas said he had unsuccessfully bid to supply halal food to Muslim athletes during the Commonwealth Games; a touch of irony, given the heavy security. He now wants to focus on developing a catering business for the Islamic community. Indonesian-born Maryati also sought to clarify allegations that were, in part, used to establish the control order. They relate to her connection to a woman who later married Jemaah Islamiah leader Abu Bakar Bashir. She said she didn't know the woman, but a senior at her school more than a decade ago did know her. "I just don't know (on) what grounds they would use that evidence," Mrs Thomas said. Posted by: Oztralian 2006-08-29 |
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