 A PROMINENT Islamic community figure has denounced Australia's new counter-terrorism laws, saying sunset clauses could mean the nation becoming "a fascist state" until 2016.
| Have the Blackshirts been sighted yet? |
His comment followed the agreement announced today by Prime Minister John Howard and state and territory leaders to implement a range of new security laws, with a sunset clause promising they will be reviewed after five years and expire in 10 years.
| They're going to be a fascist state for ten years and then stop? The 10-year Reich? |
Law enforcement agencies will be able to detain terror suspects for up to 14 days without charge, use tracking devices to monitor their movements, and seek penalties for people who "incite" terrorism. Keysar Trad, of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia, said the new laws were a severe erosion of individual freedoms and would create fear and division in society.
| Perhaps among those who "incite" terrorism. My guess is that everybody else will continue going to work every day, drinking beer, and generally acting like Australians. |
"The sunset clauses mean the laws will remain in effect for 10 years, and the review is more likely to increase them rather than moderate them," he said. "These laws will be unfair and could lead to the creation of a fascist state."
| To whom will they be unfair? Other than to the guys who "incite" terrorism? |
Mr Trad said Australians should be worried at the possibility they could be detained for questioning for up to 14 days, on the basis of nothing more than "intelligence".
| The problem with "intelligence" isn't so much that it's not admissible into court, but that admitting it can compromise sources and methods. That doesn't mean that it's inaccurate. Obviously there have to be review mechanisms. |
"It's very frightening to think of the future," he said. "People can be arbitrarily taken in (and detained)".
| Based on "intelligence." But that makes it not arbitrary. |
He said the counter-terrorism measures were also aimed at silencing criticism of the Howard Government's policies. "It's very scary, especially with these laws about incitement to terror," Mr Trad said.
| Mr Trad frightens easily, doesn't he? |
"They could be applied to people who call for the withdrawal of troops (from Iraq). It's a form of silencing debate."
| More likely they'll be applied to people who build bombs because they can't have their way about withdrawing troops from Iraq. That's the intent of the law, isn't it? |
"People like me ... who have seen these measures in other countries have seen how they have destroyed those societies. We'll be stuck with them until possibly 2016. I can't see how any of these laws are likely to lead to the elimination of the threat of terrorism. They will be dividing society and we don't need to divide Australia - we're already suffering from this atmosphere of suspicion and apprehension."
| Much of it coming from mosques and similar places of unwholesome convergence. Hence the law. |
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