Removing the Malaysian flag from Malaysian territory ,and the unprecedented jailing of a former CAF-A coincidence , or is there a common China link

by Ganesh Sahathevan


                   Jen (ret) Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Haji Zainal


Could these two incidents, the removal of the Malaysian flag from Malaysian territory to appease China, and the jailing of the former Chief Of Army and Chief Of  Armed Forces Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Haji Zainal,  be related?
This writer cannot imagine any member of the armed forces, let alone a Chief Of Armed Forces (CAF) being happy with an order to remove the Malaysian flag from Malaysian territory to appease China.

To quote the Australian Australian marine archaeologist Hans Berekoven:

"A Malaysian coast guard vessel was despatched. Went out there and unbolted the flag," he said.

"It's absolutely absurd. It's 88 miles, well within the 200 mile economic exclusion zone, and they've forced the Malaysians to take the flag down — their flag, asserting their authority, their sovereignty."

Did the former CAF and others in the armed forces protest, and was the jailing of Tan Sri Aziz  Zainal a means of keeping them in line?

END

Monday, August 8, 2016

ABC Australia reports that Malaysia surrendered special rights to Luconia Shoals to China : Rights to adjoining EEZ may be lost

by Ganesh Sahathevan

ABC TV reported on Sunday 7 August  an incident on or about 31 August 2015 whenMalaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency(Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia) officers removed a Malaysian flag that had been planted on Luconia Shoals by  Australian marine archaeologist Hans Berekoven. 

The planting of the flag itself has been reported before (see below) but it was only yesterday that Berekoven revealed on ABC TV   that a MMEA Bombardier surveillance plane flew over after he planted the flag, and that MMEA officers then came on to the shoal and removed the Malaysian flag.

By doing so the Malaysian Government has signalled that it will not enforce its hitherto exclusive right to administer and enjoy the economic zone on and around Luconia Shoal. Given that China has been asserting what it says is its right to the shoal (and the entire South China Sea) ,it follows that China can now enjoy equal if not greater right to the shoal and the surrounding economic zone. 

The map below illustrates what has been lost.The polygons represent oil concessions awarded by Malaysia and Indonesia. 

The map may be viewed and enlarged at this link.

END 

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

General Tan Sri Aziz Zainal Jailing Will Cost Voters -Consequences of Malaysia's unprecedented jailing of a former Chief of Army and Chief Of Armed Forces

by Ganesh Sahathevan



                   Jen (ret) Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Haji Zainal
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency announced on Monday that it had charged and remanded (ie held in prison) a former Chief Of Army and Chief Of Armed Forces, General Tan Sri Aziz  Zainal.
Malay political and cultural reality dictates that regardless of the merits of the charges against him, General Aziz will be seen by his men  to have been humiliated by a Government that has been slow to move on far larger cases of corruption like 1 MDB.


His troops will draw parallels between the treatment of their chief  (it matters not that he has retired) and Jho Low of 1 MDB infamy.Questions will also be asked about Riza Aziz , PM Najib's step-son who is said to have directly benefited from Jho Low's theft.

Malaysia Chronicle

Malaysian soldiers and their leaders are not likely to overthrow their government in an armed revolt, but the Government does rely on them as voters, both in their constituencies and for their postal votes. Given the treatment of their chief, compliance with orders on how and where to vote can no longer be taken for granted. The Government and UMNO may have lost a substantial bank of voters.

END 

Posted by Unknown at 6:17 PM 

The FBI is concerned for the safety of law enforcement personnel who report to Najib, but Najib will soon be honoured at the White House?

by Ganesh Sahathevan

While the US Government works ,at least in theory, in clear separation of powers,there is here clearly a conflict given that for all intents and purposes Najib Razak controls the government and civil service.This was especially evident in his sacking the Attorney General and Central Bank Governor who were said to have been on the brink of having Najib charged with theft and other crimes related to the 1MDB theft:

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

August 23, 2017

Statement from the Press Secretary on the Visit of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak of Malaysia

President Donald J. Trump will welcome Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak of Malaysia to the White House on September 12.  President Trump looks forward to celebrating the 60th anniversary of United States-Malaysia bilateral relations and discussing ways to strengthen and broaden our bilateral relationship and expand regional cooperation with one of America’s closest partners in Southeast Asia. 

From the earlier story on this blog:

FBI fears for the safety of witnesses, including law enforcement personnel involved in the 1MDB CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION

DECLARATION OF JILL ENYART

 I, Jill Enyart, declare and state as follows: 

1. I am a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”). I have read the foregoing Notice of Motion and Motion For Order Staying Civil Forfeiture Proceedings For All Purposes Except the Filing of Timely Claims and Answers, and know the contents thereof. The matters contained in the Motion are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. 

2. I am familiar with the allegations set out in the First Amended Complaint (“FAC”) in this action, and the scope and subject matter of the related, ongoing criminal investigation. The sources of my knowledge and information concerning the investigation are official files and records of the United States, publicly available files and historical information, information made known to me by other law enforcement officers, experts, and government lawyers, as well as my own personal involvement in the investigation, together with others, as a Special Agent of the FBI. 

3. The government commenced a criminal investigation of the events described in the FAC prior to the commencement of this and the related actions. The criminal investigation remains ongoing. 

4. The related criminal investigation is global in scope because the underlying crimes were committed over several years in numerous jurisdictions. Perpetrators, which includes both entities and individuals acting in individual and representative capacities, are believed to have committed violations of both U.S. and foreign laws. A significant amount of the evidence and Case 2:16-cv-05362-DSF-PLA Document 121 Filed 08/10/17 Page 21 of 23 Page ID #:1236 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 witnesses with knowledge of these violations are located in foreign jurisdictions, and will take time to pursue. 

5. I believe that disclosure of any facts beyond those set forth in the FAC, whether in response to discovery requests or otherwise, will have an adverse effect on the government’s ability to conduct the ongoing criminal investigation. Such disclosures are likely to reveal potential targets and subjects of the investigation and the investigative techniques that have been and will be used in the investigation. Such disclosures could result in the destruction of evidence, flight of potential subjects and targets, or the identification and intimidation of potential witnesses. In fact, potential witnesses with knowledge of the criminal conduct and other facts set forth in the FAC may live in jurisdictions where their safety and security could be in jeopardy if their identities are disclosed through civil discovery in this and the other related cases. 

6. In addition, proceeding with discovery in this and the related cases could lead to the disclosure of information relating to the sources of evidence from whom the government obtained evidence, including foreign jurisdictions. The disclosure of such information could prejudice those jurisdictions’ plans, jeopardize the safety of certain foreign law enforcement personnel and threaten their willingness or ability to cooperate with the government in its criminal investigation, thereby closing off sources of evidence of the criminal and other conduct set forth in the FAC. Case 2:16-cv-05362-DSF-PLA Document 

witnesses with knowledge of these violations are located in foreign jurisdictions, and will take time to pursue. 5. I believe that disclosure of any facts beyond those set forth in the FAC, whether in response to discovery requests or otherwise, will have an adverse effect on the government’s ability to conduct the ongoing criminal investigation. Such disclosures are likely to reveal potential targets and subjects of the investigation and the investigative techniques that have been and will be used in the investigation. Such disclosures could result in the destruction of evidence, flight of potential subjects and targets, or the identification and intimidation of potential witnesses. In fact, potential witnesses with knowledge of the criminal conduct and other facts set forth in the FAC may live in jurisdictions where their safety and security could be in jeopardy if their identities are disclosed through civil discovery in this and the other related cases. 

6. In addition, proceeding with discovery in this and the related cases could lead to the disclosure of information relating to the sources of evidence from whom the government obtained evidence, including foreign jurisdictions. The disclosure of such information could prejudice those jurisdictions’ plans, jeopardize the safety of certain foreign law enforcement personnel and threaten their willingness or ability to cooperate with the government in its criminal investigation, thereby closing off sources of evidence of the criminal and other conduct set forth in the FAC.

END

Rosmah and the pink diamonds-Anyone can take action against Rosmah in the US,and the courts need only consider a State Dept application for immunity

by Ganesh Sahathevan




US First Lady Michelle Obama poses

with Rosmah Mansor, wife of 

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak,

In addition ,the US system is not one of automatic immunity. Anyone can commence action in the US against Rosmah Mansor for  recovery of  the diamonds, and it will be then up to the US State Department to make what is called a suggestion of immunity, which the court can reject.


END

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Rosmah Mansor of the pink diamonds coming to the USA-Will sovereign immunity be granted,and how can it be justified, given the theft of 1MDB money in New York

by Ganesh Sahathevan


The US Department of Justice has alleged that this diamond and others were purchased and gifted to

Rosmah Mansor, who wll soon accompany her husband Najib Razak on an official visit to the White House, to meet with President Trump.

Accompanied by GIA report no. 2115637296 stating that the 
diamond is Fancy Intense Pink, Natural Color, VS2 clarity.   
Together with a letter 
from the GIA stating that the diamond has been determined to be type IIa



The DOJ's complaint alleges that the diamond above and others were acquired with funds stolen from 1MDB during a trip the New York, placing the Rosmah and the crime within US jurisdiction.

Avoiding prosecution for that and possibly other 1MDB related crimes will require the Malaysian Government to request that sovereign immunity be granted Rosmah, for it does not extend to the spouse of a visiting head of government or head of state. 

It will be interesting to see on what basis the US State Department justifies extending that immunity to Rosmah.

END 

References

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Rosmah Mansor acquired diamonds paid for with 1MDB money in the US,placing herself within the jurisdiction of US laws against theft

by Ganesh Sahathevan

SOTHEBY'S CATALOGUE NOTE

Accompanied by GIA report no. 2115637296 stating that the diamond is Fancy Intense Pink, Natural Color, VS2 clarity.   Together with a letter from the GIA stating that the diamond has been determined to be type IIa

                                                       

The pink diamond above (GIA report no. 2115637296) was offered for sale at auction by Sotheby's in 2011.Its size.colour, description and GIA report number match that which is described below in the US DOJ's latest 1MDB complaint:

852. On or about September 28, 2013, Schwartz met again with LOW and the wife of MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1 in a hotel suite in the Mandarin Time Warner in New York in order to show them the layout of the necklace that Schwartz had designed. Travel records confirm that the wife of MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1 was in New York City at this time. Travel records show that on September 27, 2013, LOW flew from Las Vegas to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey on his jet. Other passengers on that flight included AZIZ, TAN and McFarland. 

854. Schwartz Inc. issued two invoices in connection with the purchase of the 22-CARAT PINK DIAMOND NECKLACE. The first invoice, dated July 3, 2013, was for $23,000,000 for the 22-carat diamond itself. The diamond is described in the invoice as “22.17carat Natural Fancy Intense Pink VS2 clarity (GIA#2115637296) Cut-Cornered Square Modified Brilliant Cut diamond.” The second invoice, dated July 31, 2013, was for $4,300,000 for the accompanying necklace, which was described as “ONE GRADUATE FANCY INTENSE PINK AND OVAL WHITE DIAMOND NECKLACE WITH INTERCHANGEABLE PENDANT TO RING.” 

856. The invoices were ultimately paid using funds traceable to diverted 2013 bond proceeds, and more specifically, to the funds that Tanore sent to MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1 under the guise of investing in SRC International.  

In summary, Rosmah Mansor acquired diamonds paid for with 1MDB money in the US,placing herself within the  jurisdiction of US laws against theft, a crime.

Of course, she could well say that she had no idea the funds used were from 1MDB, and that she was always under the impression that the jewellery was a gift from her husband, PM Najib Razak, aka MO1, out of that money donated by some Saudi royal.

END 

Rosmah Mansor of the pink diamonds coming to the USA-Will sovereign immunity be granted,and how can it be justified, given the theft of 1MDB money in New York

by Ganesh Sahathevan


The US Department of Justice has alleged that this diamond and others were purchased and gifted to

Rosmah Mansor, who wll soon accompany her husband Najib Razak on an official visit to the White House, to meet with President Trump.

Accompanied by GIA report no. 2115637296 stating that the 
diamond is Fancy Intense Pink, Natural Color, VS2 clarity.   
Together with a letter 
from the GIA stating that the diamond has been determined to be type IIa



The DOJ's complaint alleges that the diamond above and others were acquired with funds stolen from 1MDB during a trip the New York, placing the Rosmah and the crime within US jurisdiction.

Avoiding prosecution for that and possibly other 1MDB related crimes will require the Malaysian Government to request that sovereign immunity be granted Rosmah, for it does not extend to the spouse of a visiting head of government or head of state. 

It will be interesting to see on what basis the US State Department justifies extending that immunity to Rosmah.

END 

References

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Rosmah Mansor acquired diamonds paid for with 1MDB money in the US,placing herself within the jurisdiction of US laws against theft

by Ganesh Sahathevan

SOTHEBY'S CATALOGUE NOTE

Accompanied by GIA report no. 2115637296 stating that the diamond is Fancy Intense Pink, Natural Color, VS2 clarity.   Together with a letter from the GIA stating that the diamond has been determined to be type IIa

                                                       

The pink diamond above (GIA report no. 2115637296) was offered for sale at auction by Sotheby's in 2011.Its size.colour, description and GIA report number match that which is described below in the US DOJ's latest 1MDB complaint:

852. On or about September 28, 2013, Schwartz met again with LOW and the wife of MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1 in a hotel suite in the Mandarin Time Warner in New York in order to show them the layout of the necklace that Schwartz had designed. Travel records confirm that the wife of MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1 was in New York City at this time. Travel records show that on September 27, 2013, LOW flew from Las Vegas to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey on his jet. Other passengers on that flight included AZIZ, TAN and McFarland. 

854. Schwartz Inc. issued two invoices in connection with the purchase of the 22-CARAT PINK DIAMOND NECKLACE. The first invoice, dated July 3, 2013, was for $23,000,000 for the 22-carat diamond itself. The diamond is described in the invoice as “22.17carat Natural Fancy Intense Pink VS2 clarity (GIA#2115637296) Cut-Cornered Square Modified Brilliant Cut diamond.” The second invoice, dated July 31, 2013, was for $4,300,000 for the accompanying necklace, which was described as “ONE GRADUATE FANCY INTENSE PINK AND OVAL WHITE DIAMOND NECKLACE WITH INTERCHANGEABLE PENDANT TO RING.” 

856. The invoices were ultimately paid using funds traceable to diverted 2013 bond proceeds, and more specifically, to the funds that Tanore sent to MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1 under the guise of investing in SRC International.  

In summary, Rosmah Mansor acquired diamonds paid for with 1MDB money in the US,placing herself within the  jurisdiction of US laws against theft, a crime.

Of course, she could well say that she had no idea the funds used were from 1MDB, and that she was always under the impression that the jewellery was a gift from her husband, PM Najib Razak, aka MO1, out of that money donated by some Saudi royal.

END 

Reference

Why has Najib not summoned the US Ambassador to protest the insinuations of criminal wrongdoing by the PM and his wife ?

Rosmah Mansor's Choice: Surrender the diamonds, or join Najib in jail-On the other hand, has Rosmah joined Riza in seeking a settlement in exchange for cooperation

Trump's invitation to Najib will add to the Russian collusion stories, and to the story that Najib has paid off Trump,and to the stories about the murder of Mongolain woman Altantuya Shaariibuu

by Ganesh Sahathevan 

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with 
Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak during a meeting on the sidelines of the
 Russia-ASEAN summit in Sochi on May 19, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Host Photo Agency / -


The Trump-Najib meeting will add to speculation that Donald Trump colluded with the Russians to get himself elected.

That any person under investigation by the FBI and the DOJ for what has been described as the biggest case of money laundering ever would be invited anywhere near the White House would raise concerns within any government , but here there is a further ,larger complication.

Malaysia has had good relations with Russia going back to at least the early 70s, and Najib has only enhanced that relationship.

The fact that Putin has been able to count on Najib to frustrate Australian and Dutch attempts to properly prosecute the downing of  Malaysia's MH 17 ought to have made that obvious to even to the casual observer.

That Najib would then be invited to the White House despite being under investigation by the FBI and DOJ ,while Trump and his associates are under investigation by the FBI and others for colluding with the Russians to have himself elected as president raises all sorts of questions, which one would assume Trump would rather they never be raised.

And then there is the further complication of Najib and close associates being investigated by French prosecutors for bribery in connection to the award of submarines to France's DCNS (since renamed Naval Group).That matter has been linked to the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu . 

Ms Shaariibuu was murdered in Kuala Lumpur while demanding her share of commissions on contracts for the purchase or Russian MIGs.

Not surprising then that there is strong speculation that Trump has been a beneficiary of Najib's stolen billions.
END  

#WORLD NEWS

AUGUST 24, 2017 / 2:25 AM / 14 MINUTES AGO

Trump to meet scandal-hit Malaysian leader in September

WASHINGTON/KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump plans to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is embroiled in a corruption scandal at home, on Sept. 12 at the White House, officials from both countries confirmed on Thursday.

The U.S. Justice Department has been conducting a criminal probe of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a fund founded by Najib, which is facing money-laundering probes in at least six countries, including the United States, Switzerland and Singapore.

In civil lawsuits, the Justice Department has sought to seize a total of about $1.7 billion in assets it says were bought with misappropriated 1MDB funds.

Malaysia's foreign ministry said in a statement that Najib will undertake the visit following an invitation from Trump.

"The two leaders are expected to discuss areas of mutually beneficial cooperation, including national security, the global fight against terrorism and extremism, and trade and investment that will benefit our nations and our peoples," the foreign ministry said in the statement.

The United States sees Najib as a key partner in its fight against radical Islamists.

But that image has been damaged recently after Najib was linked to the 1MDB scandal, and his party overtly supported right-wing groups for political gains ahead of the polls that must be held by mid-2018.

Trump looks forward to "discussing ways to strengthen and broaden our bilateral relationship and expand regional cooperation with one of America’s closest partners in Southeast Asia," said a White House statement announcing Najib's Sept. 12 visit.

Slideshow (2 Images)

The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the plan for a meeting, said Najib would likely use the White House visit to try to play down the possibility of further investigations into 1MDB.

Relations between Malaysia and the United Stated soured last year after the Justice Department filed lawsuits in connection with the 1MDB scandal and Najib sought to strengthen ties with China.

U.S. relations with Malaysia, which the United States sees as an important partner in standing up to China’s extensive territorial claims in East Asia, had improved under former President Barack Obama, who in 2014 became the first U.S. president to visit the country in 50 years.

Najib was a key ally in Obama's strategic pivot to Asia, and was part of the collapsed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is also expected to visit Malaysia in the coming months, local media reports said, although this has not been officially confirmed.

Reporting By Mark Hosenball, Steve Holland, David Brunnstrom and Praveen Menon; Editing by Dan Grebler

Penny Wong may have committed an offence under Malaysian laws; offence may have disqualified her from being a senator from Day One

by Ganesh Sahathevan 

Contrary to the "narrative" Penny Wong's Hakka clan ,far from 

being "guest people" is among the most powerful in South East Asia.

This is certainly the case in her home town, Kota Kinabalu

In Australia the Hakka community 

prides itself that Penny Wong黃英贤 (黃英賢),

was born in Sabah to a Hakka father.

There has been a lot of talk (I suspect from Penny's friends, family,supporters and office) about how Malaysians who are dual citizens "automatically" lose their Malaysian citizenship.
This is not true,and the relevant provisions in the Malaysian Constitution make it clear that revocation of citizenship is at the discretion of the Malaysian Government.The reason is simple: The Malaysian Government does not want to lose its rights and jurisdiction over citizens, who may claim the protection of a foreign power.
Stripping dual citizens of their Malaysian citizenship is therefore punishment for breaching the laws of the land,and done in a manner that the wrong doer is often left stateless, and/or loses rights to ,among other tings, property in Malaysia. In any event, it is a penalty for a wrong,and hence the process of formal renunciation which allows a legal ,happy parting of ways.
Senator Wong may therefore have committed an offence in Malaysia. That too is factor that may disqualify her from being a senator.

END 

References

Dual citizenship and other no nos that will give you the boot

There are at least 4 catchments within SEA from which jihadi attacks against Australia may be launched -The Marawi/Philipimnes obsession may cost Australian lives

by Gamesh Sahathevan

The IS or IS linked siege of Marawi has made life easier for Australian security agencies and their "experts" for it has provided a focal point for activity.
To paraphrase Sir Humphrey Appleby,:

“Politicians ,their security chiefs,and their "experts" like to panic. They need activity. It's their substitute for achievement.”

Of course, that activity ought not be too physically and mentally challenging;it needs to be carefully managed so that work is limited to interviews on the ABC, preferably with Virginia Trioli and Leigh Sales, who tend to do the talking and ask few questions, expect to have the "expert" confirm that they have just said.

Meanwhile, in the real world, this map provides guidance to where jihadi catchments are located in this region, and from where working cells may be formed ,given the presence of strong passive support networks.While the map is based on Jemaah Islamiah activity, it does also provide a description of where passive support networks from which jihadi cells grow, are located.

(Located at https://terrortrendsbulletin.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/3.png)

For example,the Mantiqi One area which encompasses Peninsula Malaysia is the location of a number of cells, the best known being the one in Ulu Tiram which served as the base for the Bali bombers. 

Marawi is clearly located in the Mantiqi 3  region,which of course includes the long established Mindanao catchment. Centrally located are the Malaysian catchments in the peninsular and Borneo,which continues to serve as a meeting point or distribution centre for manpower and supplies to the other catchments. 

What ought to be of concern to Australians is the proximity of the Indonesian Mantiqi 2 catchments ,from which personnel can be easily moved onto the Australian mainland. Of greater concern is the Mantiqi 4 catchment, which includes West Papua,where jihadis are known, and remain active.

While the extension of Mantiqi 4 into Northern Australia is not of immediate concern, it would be very naive to believe that there are not in existence passive support networks 

END

REFERENCE
(NOTE: The article below this by one G.Barton should be read for its content only.The conclusions, which are essentially a plea for further funding for "deradicalization" projects run by the author, can be  ignored)

ISIS recruitment & training in Australia-An example of passive support for jihadi activities

by Ganesh Sahathevan

The article below reproduced from Sahathevan.blogspot.com  should be read in conjunction with my earlier posts on  the problem of passive supporters of jihadi activity.

SEP

29

ISIS recruitment & training in Australia: Government ,Muslim leaders must come clean ,

given Monash evidence 

by Ganesh Sahathevan



The following is an extract from a Monash press release(see full form below) quoting "terrorism expert" and lead investigator Greg Barton:

GTReC researchers found Australian militants and terrorists frequently consulted and consumed online extremist material but other factors played far more important roles in radicalising them. Their real world social networks of friends and family, and access to individuals who fought overseas or attended terrorist training camps were far more influential in affecting their thought and behaviour than materials circulating in the virtual world.

Lead chief investigator Professor Greg Barton said relationships, in the sense of social networks, belonging, and the allure of an enhanced sense of identity, play an important role in violent.


Australian jihadis are said to be very well prepared, and the best equipped for battlefield duties. As reported in The Australian:


THERE was something about the six Australians that made them stand out. Thousands of foreigners have ventured into Syria and Iraq during the past year for their journey to jihad; but, for locals who live along the border between Turkey and Syria, this group was different. As they sat drinking coffee before making their final walk into a foreign war, these Australians stood out: they were supremely confident, well-dressed and well-resourced. “It was clear they were not rookies,” says one local who watched them sitting at the coffee shop in Turkey about 50m from the border with Syria. “They seemed to know what they were doing.”


Locals watching the group were struck by several things. First, only one of them spoke Arabic and had to translate everything for the other five. He seemed to be their leader and looked to be in his 40s while the others were younger, in their 30s. Every so often he walked away from the group to talk on the phone, as if for privacy.

Second, they were clearly well prepared; they wore new, strong-looking walking boots, a contrast to many of the bedraggled jihadists who depart from this cafe clothed in little more than their well-worn attire and a desire to join the battle for Islam between Sunnis and Shi’ites. Good shoes and bags full of supplies were low on the list of priorities for those zealots.

Observers who saw the group of Australians said they seemed prepared for a long assignment. But what stood out most was their demeanour. They were calm, confident and relaxed. Locals noticed they all had Australian passports.

They were, one local commented, physically very large — he found them intimidating — and they wore the crocheted woollen caps popular with some Muslim men. All were “very beardy”.

(Unholy foot soldiers in a foreign fight THE AUSTRALIAN JULY 12, 2014)

It is obvious that these Australian jihadis had been trained professionally, were well funded, and had support of strong network of passive supporters. It is time for the Government, law enforcement agencies, and Muslim leaders, to tell us who these people are, and what is being done to eradicate the threat they pose this society.

END 

Understanding Terrorism in an Australian Context: Radicalisation, De-radicalisation and Counter-radicalisation
8 August 2013


The key findings from a four-year Australian Research Council-funded collaborative research project on terrorist radicalisation in Australia by researchers from Monash University’s Global Terrorism Research Centre (GTReC) will be released on Thursday 8 August.

The project, conducted in partnership with Victoria Police, Australian Federal Police, Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Victorian Department of Justice, is the most significant and in-depth examination of radicalisation undertaken in Australia.

Understanding Terrorism in an Australian Context: Radicalisation, De-radicalisation and Counter-radicalisationfocused on developing the understanding of radicalisation in an Australian context and sought international perspectives to enhance the understanding of violent extremism in Australia and relevant international threats.

Project members conducted over 100 interviews, including current and/or former violent extremists, in Australia, Indonesia, Europe, North America and elsewhere, from various ideologies (jihadist,far-right, far-left, IRA and Tamil Tigers). Also interviewed were many of the world’s leading counter-terrorism practitioners and analysts, and representatives from a variety of community groups, canvassing their attitudes on why some individuals become radicalised and ways community, government and religious stakeholders might work together to counter violent extremism.

The role of the internet and on-line materials in radicalising some individuals was also thoroughly investigated. Online sources provided both the lethal inspiration and the technical know-how for Norwegian Anders Behring Breivik’s anti-Islam motivated terrorism in Oslo and Utoya Island in July 2011, in the attack Tamerlan and Johar Tsarnaev perpetrated at the Boston Marathon in April 2013 and the brutal murder of off-duty British soldier Leigh Rigby in Woolwich, London, in May 2013.

GTReC researchers found Australian militants and terrorists frequently consulted and consumed online extremist material but other factors played far more important roles in radicalising them. Their real world social networks of friends and family, and access to individuals who fought overseas or attended terrorist training camps were far more influential in affecting their thought and behaviour than materials circulating in the virtual world.

Lead chief investigator Professor Greg Barton said relationships, in the sense of social networks, belonging, and the allure of an enhanced sense of identity, play an important role in violent extremism.

“Academics like to focus on ideas and ideology, but emotions, social bonds and experiences also play a crucial role. For many who become caught up in violent extremism social networks are much more important than ideology," Professor Barton said.

The findings also highlighted the importance of using, where possible, non-coercive measures to work with vulnerable individuals and groups to deflect and dissuade them from using violence to achieve their goals. These measures, commonly described as ‘CVE’ (countering violent extremism) initiatives, are becoming more prominent in Australia and overseas as many countries’ security services have observed that such ‘hard’ responses, by themselves, have often been ineffective, sometimes paradoxically increasing, rather than deterring the prospects of radicalising individuals. GTReC’s research highlights the effectiveness of including the social networks of radicalised or vulnerable individuals in countering violent extremism in both Australia and elsewhere.

CVE approaches prioritise interventions that are well ‘upstream’, averting problems before they are fully formed and give rise to criminal behaviour. Recognising key signs, or indicators, of radicalisation is an essential element of CVE. To this end GTReC researchers have developed a model that will enable a diverse range of practitioners to collectively recognise signs of radicalisation through observing indicative changes in behaviour, thinking and social relationships that, when occurring together and trending over time, point to reasons for concern and the need for some sort of intervention.

CVE also requires ‘downstream’ initiatives focusing on rehabilitation and helping individuals and groups disengage from violent extremism and re-engage with mainstream society. All forms of CVE require attention to both the individual and their environment.

For more information contact Glynis Smalley, Monash Media & Communications + 61 3 9903 4843 or 0408 027 848.

Posted by Ganesh Sahathevan on September 28, 2015 at 23:43 | Permalink