Irfan,
Your long bow is out and stretched beyond the limit.
"A year after the London bombings, our understanding of home-grown terrorist threats seems no more advanced."

London is not our home. England is not our home. Australia is our home and you drew the long bow and mentioned London because you can't think of any terrorism here at home in Australia. Ho hum, have a pie and pies and put the roast beef away back in England where the terrorists are.

Bali in Indonesia is closer but you wanted the English speaking-type terrorists. Why would we want to understand terrorists who speak English?

Why has Communist China sought alliances with the most vile and virulent terrorists on the face of the earth? Because they share two critical characteristics: hatred of America, and fear of democracy. The CCP is well aware what the Chinese people really think of it. It knows that the democratic world shines as an example of what China could be without tyranny. This is an example with which the CCP cannot compare, thus the CCP must eliminate it.

This is the real reason why Governemnts around the world make only small in roads to understanding terrorists. Because the western Governtments have not discovered the terrorist root yet.

The battle between Hezbollah and Israel, the crisis over Stalinist North Korea's nuclear and missile ambitions, similar concern over the same ambitions in Iran, and the ongoing battles of Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Chinese communist regime has been the benefactor of every enemy of freedom in the aforementioned crises.

Why has Communist China sought alliances with the most vile and virulent terrorists on the face of the earth? Because they share two critical characteristics: hatred of America, and fear of democracy.Its them or us..

Yep perceptions of Islam in Australia is well covered in OLO (again and again.. )

Back to terrorism in Australia.

Looks like "Jihad" Jack Thomas was sentenced to serve only 40 per cent of a possible five-year maximum term - this may now be increased.

There may also be a limitation implemented on how short Lodhi's sentence may be.

See ABC Online article http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200607/s1694038.htm on the esoteric topic of the actual implementation of counterterror legislation once discussion of it is no longer trendy.

Pete
http://spyingbadthings.blogspot.com

Irfan, I said: "It seems clear to me that Muslims tend to exlude themselves from the wider community more so than other religious and secular groupings, with the exception of small religious sects."

You replied with the question: "What empirical evidence do you have for this?"

I had previously said of Muslims, "For example an intolerance of intermarriage between Muslims and non Muslims, of divorce, and of Muslims changing faith, or leaving the religion."

Irfan, let me ask you whether you agree that such attitudes and beliefs are strongly held by the majority of Muslims?

If you agree, then you must also agree that these attitudes will tend to isolate and exclude Muslims from the wider community, the majority of which is secular with a general tolerance of these things.

You also requested evidence of this self exclusion by Muslims. The evidence I offer you of this are the Muslim communities of Lakemba in NSW and Bradford in England. These are Muslim communities which have clearly self excluded themselves from the broader society.

I would also like your response to my comments on faith based education and its consequences for Muslim society.

Irfan, I appreciate your involvement in this forum since for me, and I suspect most people, this is our only opportunity to discuss matters of importance with an Australian Muslim, (though I do not have any studies to support this).

• Irfan Yusuf ..."A year ago, more than 50 people were killed in a terrorist attack on London's public transport system. The attack represented a turning point in the international struggle against terrorism. All evidence points to the attack being the work of disillusioned and frustrated children of nominally Muslim migrants"... Wait-a-minute what kind-of-proof was ever presented contrary indication pointing at the British mass-murderer, Zionist terrorist Teflon Tony. Eager as-ever to-indulge with the elders-of-zion scripted plot to-achieve ''terrorism clampdown''. Encompassing draconian empowerment to control "extremist websites''!

Simultaneously as Washington Post's subject headline (e-mail issue of Aug 7th, 2005), lamented: ''Terrorists Turn to the Web as Base of Operations''. Exposing thus amalgamated Teflon/Bush stratagem (over-dead-bodies), essentially to-attain the remaining objectives of Hate-Crimes Legislation, Undesirables Deportation and Abolition of the Internet. In a nut-shell to-deliver the humankind over to the total-control by the elders-of-zion under NWO. No-wonder for swift-action implementation in-reflection on-a-damage done-otherwise to Teflon Tony reputation, courtesy-of-internet-site revelation on a Downing-Street-Memo.

At the time (you-may-recall), UK public sought clarification of a definition as to the active-engagement (implications) on-the-internet. Where engagement with-a-website could have been as minimal as-looking at the web-pages, through to the logging-in (as-a-registered-user), and actually submitting content to the website.

"One assumes that just looking at a website is unlikely to get you deported, but detailed rules on this point are essential. In other words, you have absolutely nothing to fear -- but your own government. Merely looking at something will now be a crime! And since when do secret terrorist cells submit-content-to-websites"? Wondered puzzled-pommy-dissidents as their participatory democracy via internet could have been a reason for the trigger-happy Home Secretary to-consider deportation of any-foreign-national.

In the circumstances I would-expect-from the genuinely-dedicated-participats to-elaborate on-a-far reaching ramifications for-our-democracy as-a-result of the willy-nilly carried-out acts-of-betrayal. Or was it executed within the spirit-of-enlightenment? Especially with a hijacked world at the crossroads! Courtesy-of elders-of-zion unleashed clandestine terror campaign against the utterly duped plebs as-to-drive them deeper into-unthinkable-conformity. Yet watching you here, and reading some of your infantile pretexts, one-gets an-impression that you seems to-adhere to the cowardice practice of toughing-it-out, whatever-it-takes.

Leigh and others, why not just simply say you are anti Muslim, hate Muslims etcetera etcetera ? That way we won't have to waste time and effort wading through your posts trying to textually analyse how careful you are not to be blantant about the obvious.
C'mon practice some free speech and say what you really think and stop being so political correct.