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| Down Under |
| Senior Australian cleric lashes out at Benbrika |
| 2005-11-16 |
| ALLEGED terrorist leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika appears to have embarked on a distorted and fabricated concept of jihad, according to Melbourne's senior Muslim cleric. Sheikh Fehmi Naji el-Imam yesterday said Benbrika's views were damaging Islam and Muslims and poisoning the minds of his followers. Sheikh Fehmi said several families of the men charged alongside Benbrika with participation in a terrorist group had been dismayed by their alleged involvement. "If it is true what is said about this man, then when he (Benbrika) says he is calling for Islamic jihad, he is calling for his own, fabricated jihad," Sheikh Fehmi said. "Also, Islamic jihad does not call for killing innocent men, women and children, and to think nothing of it. "Islamic jihad does not call for the destruction of monuments and to annihilate or kill whoever is inside, known or unknown (to the bomber)." The Melbourne Magistrates Court was told last week that Benbrika was the key link and inspiration behind terrorist groups in Melbourne and Sydney. The Sydney Central Local Court was told that Benbrika discussed jihad with two followers who visited him in Sydney. Police said Benbrika was recorded telling one of them: "If we want to die for jihad, we have to have maximum damage 
damage to their buildings, everything. Damage their lives to show them." Some of the Sydney suspects were said to have attended training camps in outback NSW and to have stockpiled chemicals to make explosives. All told, 18 men, including Benbrika, have been charged with belonging to a terrorist organisation. Benbrika has also been charged with directing a terrorist organisation. Sheikh Fehmi told The Age that Benbrika should wage a personal jihad to correct his thinking. "Islamic jihad asks for this man to do jihad first and foremost on himself to purify his thoughts, his mind, his intentions towards his country which sheltered him, protected him and allowed him to reside here peacefully and gave him a chance to earn an honest and honorable living, and when unemployed it fed him and his children with the Centrelink offerings," he said, referring to Benbrika's life in Australia after fleeing Algeria. "Islam teaches this man to be grateful to those who treat him well, and says that the reward for good deeds is offering a better good deed, and not to incur maximum damage camouflaged by maximum jihad to public buildings or innocent people." Sheikh Fehmi intervened on Benbrika's behalf when he was attempting in 1994-95 to persuade the Migration Review Tribunal to grant him residency. About the same time, Benbrika was reportedly becoming radicalised after a visit by Abu Qatada, now the spiritual leader of al-Qaeda in Europe and then a close friend of controversial Sheikh Mohammed Omran. Sheikh Fehmi said he hoped reports of Benbrika's statements had not been exaggerated to create a distorted picture of Islam and the views of Australian Muslims. "We care about the safety of every citizen, whoever they are, and we have a great faith in the fairness of the judicial system of this country, and we call on our people to be law-abiding citizens all the way," he said. "If it is true what is said about this man, then this man is damaging us, damaging the principles of our life and our religion." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |