Some might ask why we import more trouble when we cannot effectively risk manage what we have now.

However there is another option. We have many young women who do not have children and may be having abortions because their workplaces are child and family unfriendly, or because they simply cannot afford to have children. Despite government assurances this sad state of affairs is getting worse not better.

How much does it cost to import trouble and why not spend that money on supports and facilities to encourage young couples to have children? I don't see either side of politics doing much but pay lip service to such issues.

We see plenty of articles about migrants and their needs and rarely (never?) anything about how we can improve the lot of people who are already here and who are delaying fertility through impediments like lack of housing, lack of support through breakdown of the extended family and expensive public transport.

Ah Irfan, you old spoil-sport.

Don't you know there are piles and piles of money to be made from the all new, all singing, all dancing Security Industry?

Think of the opportunities, if say, you were an ex-army, ex-police, or ex-public servant who realised that the way to the top was not through the ranks. Life is too short for that. There's gold in them thar shills.

Take a look at the personal fortunes that have been "made" in the USA and UK. It's huge, huge, huuuuuuge! Anybody with shares in security cameras would be basking in the Canarys by now.

So when those salesmen (read "security consultants") solemnly intone their mantras down the tube, smile when you are being alert and afraid, and don't spoil the dream.

Another perfunctory article for the ill-informed and ignorant.
You can use whatever labels you wish, Wahhabism, Sunni, Shia, Islamist, whatever. Islam is still Islam. You know, the one that propagates Jihad towards non-muslims.

All muslims shouls return to muslim countries so world war 4 can have easily recognised front lines.

Yusuf and others plainly do not realise the profound threat that terrorists are to Australia.

We have had David Hicks, who guarded a tank, and surrendered the moment Coalition troops showed up.

Then there was Jack LaRoche, who planned to bomb the Israeli Embassy then decided killing people wasn't nice, turned himself in, got a couple of years gaol for his trouble, while his mates were allowed to flee the country.

Let's not forget Jack Thomas, who was asked to kill Australian civilians, refused, was given a ticket home, and was then charged with receiving funds from a terrorist organisation - yep, that ticket home. But that conviction was quashed since it was obtained from his testimony under torture. Hmmm. But he's still under a control order.

And now we have old Momo Haneef, who said, "oh look I have a few quid's credit left on my sim card, you have it" to his cousin who ten months later tried to blow people up. Obviously Haneef is a key player in the global terrorist network, and his arrest will be vital in the war on terror. Old Osama's weeping over the loss of Haneef, I'm sure.

I don't think people really understand the profound danger threatened to Australia by men who turn themselves in or surrender at the first opportunity, who refuse to kill Australian civilians, and lend their sim card credits to other people.

Be alarmed. Be very alarmed.

And now comes the news that Dr Haneef has had his visa cancelled allowing our Government to detain him once more. I must say that I was shocked by this news, because until then I had not fully realised the depths of depravity to which our Government had fallen. Due process had seen him released on bail, but clearly our Government had a contingency plan; take away his visa and detain him. That this has been done in my name - as a citizen of this country - sickens and saddens me; I also feel that in some way it lessens me. Although I am not ashamed to be Australian, I am perhaps slightly less proud to be Australian. There is no doubt that I am ashamed of our Government. Fortunately I can do something about changing our Government!

I hope poor deluded Reynard gets his wish and the government is changed. There will be no difference in security procedures if there is a change. Politicians are told what to do by professionals in the matter of national security, and rightly so.

The “depths of depravity to which our government has fallen”! What a load of absolute rot.

And yes, you poor thing Reynard: your little Indian friend has, today, had his visa cancelled and will be place in immigration detention. If that was done “in my name” I am very grateful indeed, and I have the same voting power as you do.

You say that you are not ashamed to be Australian, but I am ashamed that you are. I am just grateful that the only two political parties able to form a government in this country do not listen to ratbags like you.

And, what your ranting has to do with Irfan Yusuf’s quite accurate and sensible article is anyone’s guess.

Don't worry, Irfan.

Thanks to the latest "improvements" to The Australian's website, it's completely impossible to find any articles there at all, whether Muslim-baiting or otherwise!

Kyle, from a press release (3 April 2007)found on the Law Council of Australia website: "Law Council President Tim Bugg said, “David Hicks’ detention for nearly five and a half years without access to rights we regard as essential for all suspected criminals, whether petty or monstrous, had nothing to do with justice and everything to do with politics.”"

By any measure the Law Council of Australia is hardly a left wing organisation.

Plainly the Law Council are a bunch of dirty commies! By speaking of justice and human rights, the Law Council are "urging disaffection against the Commonwealth." Sedition! Didn't Sheriff Johnny pass laws against this kind of thing?

We must be protected against the rising tide of extremists with mobile phone credit, desperately trying to turn themselves in to avoid harming any civilians, and being ignored by the AFP, then getting imprisoned for their trouble.

Australia is in danger? Can't you see the enormous danger posed by these people?! Downer already told us it was just like the Cold War. Don't you remember all those communists who almost took over the country?! Danger! Danger! Be alarmed!

Stay alert. Trust no-one. And don't lend your sim card to anyone. They might use it to ring up the feds and turn themselves in, and then what would happen?

Well, at least the government has managed to lock Haneef up in immigration detention because of his association with a criminal group, even though that magistrate said he should be granted bail because he was not associated with any criminal group. But she was probably just a communist anyway.

Thank Sheriff Johnny we don't live in some repressive country with sharia law, where people are detained without charge or trial, and punished by whim of the executive for things that aren't really crimes.

Irfan,can you give us some references to these newspaper articles.I'd like to read them.

Mr. Kevin Andrews the Minister for Immigration has arranged to have DR. Haneef locked away on grounds of poor character; after bail had been allowed by a Queensland Magistrate. The onus had been on the lawyers for Dr. Haneef to prove that he would be a safe person if allowed bail.
The lawyers prior to the bail hearing believed that the chances of Dr. Haneef being allowed bail were very remote. Dr. Haneef has not been proven to have committed any crime; it was not a Christian action taken by Mr. Andrews to attack Dr. Haneef's character. The most probable conclusion that can be drawn is that Dr. Haneef has been sent to Villawood Detention Centre for political reasons. It being more about the Coalition Government not wanting their terror law being shot to pieces in Court.

The official story that Dr. Haneef gave his cousin a sim card months ago which was later used in a terrorist action is but circumstantial evidence against Dr. Haneef.

The Murdoch Press is virtually as inciteful to violence as any jihad-advocating Mullah - in many ways,more so - not least because of reach.

Kyle Aaron,

You raise an interesting point.

When I first saw Haneef had given his sim card to his cousin it struck me as suspicious. I would never give my sim card to anyone for the simple reason that if they ran up thousands of dollars in calls I'd have to pay.

But then it struck me this could be a pre-paid card with some credit left. In that case Haneef's action looks quite innocent.

So I guess it really depends on what sort of sim card and plan we're talking about. If it's a pre-paid then I think the AFP are probably barking up the wrong tree.

If it's a sim card registered to Haneef with no credit on it and for which he received a regular account then it looks as if there was an intention to deceive

All this furore clearly demonstrates the pitfalls of multiculturalism doesn’t it. Why should our sons and daughters be over in these muslim countries dying when it wouldn’t be necessary for them to be there if we didn’t have hostile members of these warring Arab tribes living amongst us.

Its like Woolworths reserving the right to search all bags,the innocent and the guilty, because they have no way of knowing who the actual thieves are. So we in the
West must regard all muslims as a potential enemy agent as we have know way of knowing the innocent from the guilty.

A law should be bought in that the families of any sucide bombers or terrorists who are Australian or London citizens and commit terror attacks in those countries should be deported. This would act as a deterent to would be terrorists knowing that their families especially their children would face the consequences of their actions even if the bombers themselves are dead. This would be a common sense measure to try to see if it puts a stop to a lot of these attacks. The law however often doesn’t allow for commonsense, if it conflicts with perceived justice .
The west puts the safety of its own people and children at risk in order to deliver justice to the families of enemy agents.

Kyle Aaron, very funny posts - thanks.

I'm wondering if the US will follow suit and charge people who supplied material to others who later were involved in terrorist activities. I seem to recall that they have in the past supported Osama and others so there could be a few nervous CIA types around if GW follows our lead. Could get interesting.

As for the article, Irfan thanks for the insights. Then on reflection I have to remember one other poster who keeps telling us how bad mossies much be because of all the violence in the Quran unlike his own sacred book which has no violence at all (on page 1285 paragraph 3 if you check the small print) and I get confused again.

On the one hand we have those pushing the idea that all mossies have come here to set up an oppressive islamic state and on the other hand Irfan pointing out that many have fled oppressive governments and are not exactly desperate to live under another one.

Worst of all we have those many mossies who insist on living quite normal lives and almost never go around killing infidels such as myself. They just do strange stuff like shopping, taking the kids to the park, working and as one strange christian fellow pointed out some time ago do evil things such as driving vans, praying and fasting. Can't I just be a lert rather than a larmed (what ever that is)? I read once that the world needs more lerts.

R0bert

Stevenmeyer,

There must have been a bloody lot of credit on that 10 month old prepaid SIM card. And prepaids also have to pay for access and that is on a monthly basis. Or at least it used to be so.

To others decrying the Governments revocation of Haneef's visa.

The Government still presunes Haneef innocent of any crime. They also feel that since he has undoubtly had some association, whether innocent association or not, then that association makes him not a fit person to be allowed in this country. I don't understand why most who are critical, especially the civil rights groups, of our Governments action overlook that huge distinction. The Government's action is fit and proper and it is aimed at protecting us.

Kylie and Aaron,

Here's a question for you.
Say Haneef had been not a doctor but a pilot. Would you trust him to fly you in an aeroplane?

Just what the world needs, more lerts.

I can walk into any corner shop and buy phone credit. No-one asks me for ID and I can use the credit voucher months later on any prepaid phone from that provider.

I think all prepaid mobile phone users should be rounded up and searched for incriminating evidence. You just can't trust them, they have utter disdain for the Western ideal of an itemised quarterly bill.

In view of the sensationalism the Australian media and left wingers can stir up, it is a pity the powers that be didn't just stick Haneef on his plane,cancel his visa and wave him farewell.
It would have been a lot quieter, a lot cheaper and the civil liberterians plus those idiot pollies would have been deprived of another platform from which to attack John Howard again.
If only!

Yes, it's always easier when we don't have to worry about silly things like due process and rule of law. In fact, let's just round up all the non-white non-Christians in Australia, and put them on a boat and send them away. It worked so well for the Germans in the 1930s. They had the right idea! Can't trust those ethnics! They want to subvert our way of life! Damn civil liberterians insisting on human rights!

That Mugabe fellow may be a darkie, but he has the right idea. Anyone causes trouble or questions the government, lock 'em up! They're all "terrorists", he says. And he doesn't worry about silly things like trials. After all, he knows the truth. He can spot a terrorist when he sees one.

[/end sarcasm because it's too depressing to go on like that]

Interestingly, a couple of Tamil Tigers supporters were released on bail today - http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/17/1980708.htm - and have not been detained by immigration. Apparently, people actually in a terrorist organisation (Tamil Tigers invented the use of suicide bombers with explosives on their body, against civilian targets) can be let out on the streets, but not someone who just knew one once. Could it be that they're Hindu and Haneef is Moslem?

I'm amazed (and concerned) that the immigration laws are stricter than the anti terrorism laws. The Government could not justify keeping him in jail under the very very loose requirements of the anti terrorism laws yet have enough to put him in detention under the immigration laws, wow! That rather smacks of malicious misuse of law, not concern as to whether he is/might be/provides material support to terrorist. If there was any concern, any evidence, they could keep him in detention indefinitely, they did not.

“Which Lebanese sect is truly radical? For Muslim outsiders like myself, they're all as bad as each other.”

Now Irfan is into the blame game; implying that it’s the Lebanese Muslims that are to be blamed and giving Muslims a bad name.

However, another Muslim in OLO remarked

“It gets very complicated. Shia and Sunni, can not live together, you can not stop the pass of terrorist to Shia and Kurdish region , unless you separate them”, Kurdish guy.

Recent terrorist attacks all over the world involved Muslims of different nationalities and races fighting for the cause of Islam. The truth is that at least three of the suicide bombers of the London underground and bus were British males of Pakistani origin. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4676577.stm.
The recent failed car bomb attempts in London and Glasgow were carried out by Muslims from Jordan, Iraq and India.

The Pakistani cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi, leader of the Red Mosque, moved in liberal circles and favoured Western-style clothes as a young man, but was radicalised later in life. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6281228.stm.

So no Muslim is immune from becoming an extremist as long as s/he remains a Muslim.