Australia emerging as `prime country for Islamic radicalism

Research undertaken by the Government of Prime Minister John Howard indicates that fundamentalist Islam is taking firm root in Australia.

Sydney, July 2 : Research undertaken by the Government of Prime Minister John Howard indicates that fundamentalist Islam is taking firm root in Australia.

According to the research, Australia has become a "prime country" for hardliners pushing extremist ideologies, and there are more young Muslims per capita who are vulnerable to the influence of radical Islam in Australia than in any other western country.

Howard has warned that Australians need to remain vigilant about a possible Jihadist threat, and warned against playing down or dismissing the danger of a terrorist attack on home soil.

"What is happening in Great Britain is a reminder to all of us that, despite all the talk on occasions from some that the threat of terrorism is exaggerated in our society, it is not, and we must remain vigilant," he said.

The Federal Government's project looking into the radicalisation of young Muslims is headed by a former member of Howard's Islamic advisory board, Mustapha Kara-Ali, who yesterday warned that Australia's mainstream community should not take comfort in the fact that a terrorist attack has not yet been carried out on our shores.

Kara-Ali, who was given a 200,000 dollar grant by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in June last year to investigate the radicalisation of young Muslims in Sydney's southwest, told The Australian there were up to 3000 young Sunni Muslims in that region of the state who were part of "ideological sleeper cells" on the brink of becoming radicalised.

Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd yesterday called on Mr Howard to implement a recommendation in the 2005 Wheeler report regarding the screening of cargo on passenger flights after two men tried to drive a blazing Jeep through the doors of the Glasgow airport terminal on the weekend.

Kara-Ali said his project would publish a 100-page guide book - The Way Forward for Australian Muslims: A Good Practice Guide for Building Identity and Resisting Radicalisation - which is currently under review and is expected to be distributed in Sydney's southwest this month.

ANI