Anti-terror arrestees
May 31, 2007 at 11:00 pm (imperialism, race and racism, terror, the state)
This coming Friday, June 1, 9 men who were arrested in November 2005 will stand trial in Sydney. They are amongst 18 people arrested around the country on November 8, 2005 in a campaign by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and the federal government. Days before these arrests were made (and the homes of the accused men’s families raided), the federal government rushed through the first part of the unpopular anti-terror legislation on the grounds that new “threats” had been detected.
Omar Merhi has spoken out about the surveillance, threats, and intimidation he and his family have faced since his brother was arrested. And others have investigated and reported on the discriminatory and abusive prison conditions faced by the arrestees, as well as the lack of transparency and legal murkiness of the situation.
What’s more, earlier this month two Tamil men were arrested and charged with providing material support for terrorism, due to fundraising efforts for Sri Lankan agencies (including relief effort for the 2004 tsunami). The federal government has charged the men with supporting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), although the organisation isn’t listed as a proscribed organisation by the government.
While the Sri Lankan government is playing up its connection to the Australian government, the Attorney-General denies any involvement with the Sri Lankan government in this particular case.
I call bullshit.
TAKE ACTION TO SUPPORT THE ‘GOULBURN NINE’
JUNE 1,
MACQUARIE STREET COURTS, SYDNEY
EDIT: The picket of the Goulburn Nine is actually on Thursday May 31st (i.e. tomorrow).
Paul Knopfler said,
May 29, 2007 at 12:01 pm
What can I say? Nothing you’ve not already said.
Let’s fight for a new society!