Last night in a TV interview about a new building for ASIO, it was disclosed that ASIO was investigating "hundreds of Australian-Lebanese young men that had joined the fighting in Syria"

Today there is no reports in the MSM about this disclosure and I have not seen any referral to this beforehand. Now I would expect there would be a few, but 'hundreds' is a surprize.

Obviously there is much more to this. Why lebanese and the connection with Syria? Are they supporting one side or both sides in the conflict? It raises many questions. Apparently most were born here and are Aus citizens.

Does anyone on OLO have any further information?

Dear Banjo,

There's quite a few links on the web
concerning this issue. All you have to
do is Google the topic.

ASIO and other
spy agencies are monitoring Australians
fighting in Syria.

However, as ASIO's Director, David Irvine
pointed out that while the number of Australians
heading to Syria is in the hundreds this does not
mean that all of them are directly involved in
fighting.

" That doesn't mean that hundreds of people go
overseas, join the Al Qaeda affiliates, get an AK-47
and go and fight. Many of the people are providing
supporting functions, health, medical, or whatever.
They're supporting the struggle in ways that don't
involve picking up a gun."

Mr Irvine has explained that there are strong family
as well as business connections that are understandable
reasons for supporting the struggle in Syria.

Here's a link that may be of interest:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-15/spy-agencies-monitoring-australians-fighting-in-syria/4630098

Banjo in the mess that is the middle east, we overlook that Lebanon was if not part of Syria ruled by it once.
Many country,s milked the middle east cash cow, look and find England alone created new country,s.
Divide and conquer?
Yes we know the thought, *Multi cultorism* is a teddy bear, just a new name for what replaced our once intergeneration /migration is a lie.
But in truth todays events in Boston may impact on that policy.
I have an inkling that may not be driven by such as your thread mentions.
Frankly we are going to pay, for governments refusing to consider what these now trained fighters may bring back to this country.
ASIO? you trust some weird folk bloke, not sure they could manage a drinking comp in a country pub.

Lexi,
Thanks for that link. ASIO is not a site I regularly check, in fact have never, so how would I know what they post there. I will look at it shortly. I fully expected the item to be MSM news. If I were running the government, I would be concerned if hundreds of aussies were going halfway across the world to fight and support a war that we had no part of. It is not as though we are sending troops. It is a civil conflict.

Belly,
I don't particularly care what happens in the Middle East, it is a lost cause. What does concern me is that these young blokes care more for some civil uprising there than they do about Australia. Where does their nationalism lay? It is usual for Leb youth to hold our society in contempt and yet they take all our society offers them. No doubt thay will seek our consular assistance if things don't go to plan, like David Hicks did.

How many will come back here radicalised and trained in urban warfare?

Belly, we have no one else to trust with inteligence services. ASIO and the AFP got over 20 would be terrorists here so far, so they must be worth something.

About time we had a look at our immigration policies, last year we allowed about 13000 migrants from ME countries.

Dear Banjo,

Perhaps you need glasses?

The site I gave was the ABC.

Lexi,
Its OK, I did read ABC and got the article up, nothing more than was on TV last night though. I also did google ASIO and It has no news items and nothing in speeches about this issue.

Perhaps I had better google the Atorney General, if it is a concern to the government surely he has put out a media release.

Obviously MSM are not interested.

Dear Banjo,

Once again to clarify things for you.

I've only Googled a few newspapers on this
topic however for your information -
The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Canberra Times,
The Australian, have all covered this topic. About
a week ago. The Government has also taken action
on this problem - not only in this country but
overseas. I'm not going to give you all the links -
and what the government is doing - you can do your
own research. And, on that topic -

You just might want to do your research before
you post in future. If you have problems with
that - go to your local library and ask a librarian
for help.

Here's the link from The Australian:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/aussies-fighting-in-syria-pose-a-threat-says-foreign-minister-bob-carr/story-e6frg650-1226620047165

I'm going to another discussion. This one's done for me.

The Attorney General has not seen fit to issue a press statement in relation to this matter. At least not in April or March, so much for government concern.

After the disclosure yesterday, it should have been raging headlines this morning and the Opposition should be demanding what the government is doing about it.

It is outragous to see 'hundreds' of Australian citizens going to fight or support some civil war in Syria. It matters not to us who wins as one side is as bad as the other. Same in Lybia and Egypt.

Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, did mention it briefly but was more concerned about whether some group or another should be deemed a terrorist organization. No plan to deal with these psuedo-Aussies.

One day we may get a government that works in Australia's best interest

Banjo I earn my membership in the red necks corner with this statement.
And feel quite comfortable there/here.
*It is far more than likly some Australian born Muslims are fighting there*
And you and me, so very far apart in politics, are as you often remind me, nothing like red necks.
We represent the majority of Australians.
And standing shoulder to shoulder with us,are other former migrants.
PC struggles to convert us, pokes and prods, tells us Cronulla, was our shame!
What a deliberate lie!
Totally ignoring the years of open hatred for Australians that bought that about.
Banjo I hope, you like me, would jump to your feet instantly! to defend victims of open racism we are hearing of on public transport, I would always do so.
But we have every right to know and highlight people breaking Australian law fighting over there.
We are not confronted by a few very different country,s.
We face a religion, that enforces poverty on its followers and a bigotry helped by our own invention PC.
be WARNED!PC will soon very soon plans exist, takeaway our right to express such views while protecting the other sides right to say as they wish.

Goodness me - this has been on the news
and in the mainstream media for weeks
from newspapers to radio, to television.
And then on Sunday Senator Bob Carr told
Sky news that ALL relevant government agencies
were dealing with this matter and were taking
it very seriously. That, "There's a big
investment of both time AND resources going
into it."

And here's the final reason why the Attorney
General's office did not give out any
information - it cannot! Because as Bob Carr
stated, "He cannot eleaborate as it was a
matter of SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE!"

But that of course goes right over some
people's heads - right Banjo?

Keep on stirring!

Yes Lexi is right, we only got to know about this from Carr,s telling us.
Yes they know, yes they care, maybe not as much as you and I Banjo.
While the issue can be looked at as only a few it too can be looked at as the law breaking it is.
And too with a mind to other events , the possible dangers we face if just one returns here with an attitude.

Contrary to the opinion of Lexi, I do not believe this issue has received wide publicity. Each day i read the 2 Sydney major papers, editorials and opinions, participate in at least 2 blogs that have news items and a news commentry from Melbourne. I also watch ABC and commercial news at night and a current affairs programme. The first I heard of this issue was comments by Mr Irvine in relation to the opening of new building for ASIO.

The problem here is multiculturalism. Anything to do with critisism of ethnic groups is played down and kept quiet.

Again contrary to Lexi, it is not an issue of confidential inteligence, it is a matter caused by the 40 years of promoting MC.
We now have 'hundreds' of Lebanese-Australians (2nd or even 3rd generation) going of to participate in a civil war in Syria.

Sure if these blokes, who were born and educated in Aus, break any laws they should be held responsible if and when they return. But really we are responsible because our governments have encouraged various ethnic groups to retain aspects of their original culture. We even turn a blind eye to some matters that are definately against our laws. Millions of taxpayers dollars have been spent promoting ethnic cultures.

Make no mistake these blokes have far more alegience to the Middle East than to Aus and that is with our encouragement.

What needs to be done is the abandonment of the failed ideology of MC and engage promotion of integration. Immigration of those groups that cannot or will not adhere to our laws and social standards, should be curtailed.

This issue graphicly illustrates the failure of MC.