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Probe into Daesh subversion at Aussie schools
 [Straits Times] The Australian state of New South Wales yesterday began an investigation into prayer sessions at all schools following revelations that students have been preaching extremist propaganda in classrooms and on playgrounds. The decision to audit schools in Australia's largest state followed reports that police were conducting counter-terrorism investigations into Daesh-inspired radicals operating in schoolyards.Police have confirmed that a 17-year-old student at Epping Boys High School was being investigated for promoting extremist views. The student, apparently Afghani, had tried twice to travel to Syria to fight for Daesh in the past two years. At school, he reportedly preached in the playground and used school prayer sessions to spread extremist messages. The prayer sessions are permitted by the Department of Education, though students must have written permission from their parents to attend. State Premier Mike Baird said the incident was "concerning and disturbing", and the government will audit all prayer groups of all religious dominations. In addition, police will develop a program to train staff at school to detect potential signs of radicalization. Baird said, "We will never allow (schools) to become the setting for extremist ideologies. Our schools, our police and other authorities are operating in a new and different world, as far as risks to our young people are concerned. We are going to have to be vigilant, and take action as necessary." Two students from Sydney Boys High School, an elite school, were detained by police at Sydney Airport in March after apparently planning to travel to Syria to fight for Daesh. In another case, Melbourne teenager and Muslim convert Jake Bilardi and apparently died while carrying out a suicide bombing in Iraq in March. Posted by: ryuge 2015-07-30 |
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