On local extremism: I was right form the beggining

The news about Australian doctor joining terrorist organisations in Syria is another evidence of our authorities’ failure to stop radicalisation in our society. While we do not know the time this doctor left Australia, the fact that he was brainwashed from womaniser and alcohol drinker to hardline terrorist should raise many questions.

Where were our authorities from the intense brainwashing and recruitment efforts of organisations and individuals? Why authorities had ignored many warnings from different community leaders and organisations, including myself, for long time about the intense campaigns to radicalise and recruit our youths?

The major question here is: what is the holistic plan that our authorities had adopted to stop further radicalisation of our youth?

We are sorry to come to realisation that authorities are busy dealing with symptoms, rather than dealing with the source of these symptoms. The authorities proved to be either lucky or successful in stopping and foiling many terrorist activities. But they are far behind in starting real comprehensive de-radicalisation plan.

As experts on this issue, the authorities’ refusal to discuss with us our de-radicalisation plan, refusal to fund some of our proposed projects to deal with this radicalisation and refusal to consult us of the plan they suggest is deeply worrying.

The news about authorities’ continuous interception of extremists in our airports bound to Syria, news about more Australians participation in the fight in Syria and the news of relations between terrorists fighting in Syria and centres based in Australia are clear evidence of the failure of our authorities approach to the issue.

All these news, in addition to news of closing down of centres of extremism (the latest was AL Furqan) is a moral boost for our anti-extremism campaign. The campaign that started February 2012. The campaign that is getting momentum every day.

While we still receive many threatening messages form extremists, we are receiving a lot of supporting and encouraging messages. Both kind of messages are clear evidence of the effectiveness of our campaign.

We were right from the beginning.