SOMALIA AND TERRORISM

The arrest of four suspects alleged to be planning acts of terrorism within Australia will raise a number of issues.

Post-colonial Somalia either has not worked, or has not been allowed to work. It seems that others, and as always the American secret state married to interest of corporate profit have been involved as they have in Central Asia for some time. On this matter, reference to Wikipedia provides a historical background. The African Studies Centre at The University of Pennsylvania has a selection of links.

One of the suspects refused to stand for the Magistrate on religious grounds. Perhaps this is just a preliminary skirmish since the role of the proceedings at this point is perhaps to establish whether there is a case to answer. Still it reminds me of the conflict in values between the early Christians and their refusal to accept the Roman Emperor at god.

The suspect are reported to have sought a fatwa to justify their actions. This is an interesting development because, following the practice of centuries, it would have to granted locally. If not, then Muslim practice might have changed given the reality of global communications then there are issues about Islamic Authority. Islam is as fractious as Christianity.

Whatever the outcome, Nayef El Sayed spoke only the truth when he said:

“You call me a terrorist. I’ve never killed a person in my life.

“You send terrorists to Afghanistan and Iraq. Your army kills innocent people and Israel takes land by force.”

Here again the problem is not just what is meant by terrorist and terrorism, which presumably takes some measure of the use of violence and murder to generate fear, directly or indirectly, but the failure indite those who with a case to answer in international law. The rule of law and justice do not stop at national borders. For example, the murderous and violent behavior of Israel with the continuing process of dispossession and ethnic cleansing, while such a state is given continued diplomatic recognition, is a problem for Australia.

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