ISLAMIC leaders have condemned the deadly terrorist bombings in Bali while warning of retribution against Australian Muslims.
Indonesian hospital officials say three Australians were among at least 25 people killed when a series of bomb blasts rocked Kuta and the packed restaurant strip of Jimbaran Bay last night. Experts believe the al-Qaeda linked terrorist group Jemaah Islamiah (JI) is behind the bombings.
Muslim leaders across Australia today condemned the attacks in the strongest possible terms. "We believe that any act of terror is an act of evil," Islamic Council of NSW chairman Ali Roude said. "Whatever the circumstances, the killing of innocent people in such an horrific and evil approach won't resolve anything or achieve any policy result."
Islamic Council of Victoria president Malcolm Thomas described the bombings as a "heinous crime perpetrated by the lowest of criminals". "We condemn this atrocity in the strongest possible terms without reservation or qualification," Mr Thomas said. "We pray that the Indonesian authorities bring the guilty swiftly to justice as they have in the past."
| Yeah, the perpetrators in the last Bali bombing got ... what, again? |
The groups say it is too early to know the bombers' motives, but believe a small group of racist Australians will inevitably blame Muslims.
| As opposed to the Lutherans, who we all know were really behind the bombing. |
"The Muslim community is subject to the constant action of being labelled as having direct or indirect links to acts of terrorism, which is unfortunate," Mr Roude said. "We do expect a reaction, and a negative one, from certain sections of the media or the public.
"Talkback radio announcers ... wait for an event like this and make an issue out of it and it's the community that pays the price.
"But this is our fate and we have to be patient. After all, we regard ourselves as no different from any other Australian and we want to live our lives peacefully and happily."
Lebanese Muslim Association spokesman Abdul El Ayoubi said "the average Australian out there is smart enough to know that Australian Muslims have nothing to do with any of the bombings that have occurred overseas".
"But there's a loud section of the community that continues to pinpoint Muslims," he said. "They will always point the finger at Muslims, regardless.
| Unless it's Samoans. Never can trust those Samoans ... |
"We've always had it in the back of our minds that there may be a racial attack."
The bombings came a week after Australian state and territory leaders backed commonwealth anti-terror laws that will hand police unprecedented new powers. The Australian Democrats today warned the federal government not to use the latest Bali bombings as a pretext for even harsher anti-terrorism laws.
| 'cause that would be offensive ... to someone ... somehow ... |
Prime Minister John Howard said he wanted to reassure all Australian Muslims that they should not feel alienated or frightened as a result of the blasts. "We see them (the Australian Muslim community) as friends, we don't see them as enemies," Mr Howard said.
| "Except for the ones who blow stuff up," he added. |
"We see them as here in the struggle, not as a group of people who should feel frightened and isolated and alienated."
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie called for Australians to show restraint, adding tolerance to different races and faiths remained an essential part of being Australian. "I think it's very important for all Australians to be restrained." |