PM vows censure controversial MP Fraser Anning over immigration comments
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has made clear the Christchurch massacre was an act of terror and has vowed to prosecute Queensland Senator Fraser Anning if it is found he has spread hate in his speech about immigration.
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has made clear the Christchurch massacre was an act of terror and has vowed to prosecute Queensland Senator Fraser Anning if it is found he has spread hate in his speech about immigration.
According to Mr Morrison, suspected Christchurch killer Brenton Tarrant, 28, from Grafton, flew under the radar of Australian and international intelligence agencies.
“As I am advised, he was on nobody’s radar, anywhere,” Mr Morrison said.
“This is the real challenge when it comes to issues of terrorism, regardless of its origins and in this case, extremist views based on white supremacist and separatist ideologies, which are abhorrent and fester hate.
“That’s why we need to continue to be vigilant.”
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Mr Morrison spoke with authorities this morning, who advised him the terror alert level would not change from “probable”.
This comes as police increased patrols of mosques in Sydney to quell fear among the Islamic community of copycat attacks after the New Zealand massacre.
Flanked by Grand Mufti of Australia Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed at the Lakemba Mosque, Mr Morrison said yesterday’s mass shooting was an attack on all peace loving people.
“As Prime Minister Ardern said yesterday, ‘an attack against one of us is an attack against all of us’ — from all communities who love peace, who love the freedoms that we have both here in Australia and New Zealand and peace loving people of the world — this is what is under attack,” Mr Morrison said.
When Senate resumes in early April, both the Coalition and Labor will submit a bipartisan censure motion against Queensland Senator Fraser Anning, who blamed immigration for the extreme right-wing terror.
Mr Morrison earlier today denounced Mr Anning’s statements.
“His conflation of this horrendous terrorist attack with issues of immigration, in his attack on Islamic faith specifically, these comments are appalling and they’re ugly and they have no place in Australia, in the Australian Parliament also,” Mr Morrisons aid.
“He should be, frankly, ashamed of himself. It’s not something my Government associates with. It’s not something the good faith people of Australia, of any faith or any background, would seek to associate with. So, I think I have made that pretty clear out where I stand on that.”
In the meantime, Mr Morrison has vowed to bring the full weight of the law down on Mr Anning if its found he fell foul of hate speech laws.
“If Senator Anning has committed an offence under any law anywhere in this country, I will be expecting authorities to take whatever action they could,” he said.
Outside the mosque, New Zealand nationals Marguretta Avery and Mathew Dean laid a wreath of support.
Regents Park Muslim woman Amna Al Asmar How was overcome with emotion at the show of solidarity.
“Seeing people laying flowers means a lot,” Ms Al Asmar How said.
“We all believe Australia is a peaceful country.
“My neighbour is Australian and I give her kids Christmas presents, likewise she gives my children presents for Ramadan.
“No one from any faith or any country deserves to die.”
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Mr Dean was dressed in a New Zealand Warriors jersey and Ms Avery was clutching a homemade sign that read “Kia Kaha”, which is a Maori phrase meaning “be strong”.
“What happened in Christchurch affects Kiwis all over the world, especially because New Zealand is the last place we’d expect terrorism,” Mr Dean said.
Muslim Lakemba man Tariq Maqableh, 31, told The Sunday Telegraph Islamic women and girls from Sydney were afraid to be in public.
“Ladies and girls are scared to be in public in case there’s a copy cat attack, especially because the terrorist was an Australian,” Mr Maqableh said.
“We love Australia, we love living in peace, but stupid people have worried our community.”
The Grand Mufti of Australia, Imam Ibrahim Abu Mohamad, stood beside NSW Police Commissioner Michael Fuller after an hour-long meeting of police top brass and Islamic leaders, to reassure local Muslims everything was being done to ensure their safety.
The terror threat in Australia has not changed since the mass shooting but Commissioner Fuller acknowledged Muslims in Sydney felt scared.
“There are no live threats to any mosques but we know seeing police makes people feel safer,” Commissioner Fuller said.
“People fear what’s next and we’re not being complacent.
“We’ve had senior police visit the mosques in Sydney metro area yesterday. We’re increasing patrols and will continue to do that.”
Police are investigating whether terrorist Brenton Tarrant from Grafton should have been detained in Australia before being allowed to travel.
The Grafton family of Mr Tarrant approached NSW Police as soon as they recognised his face on news coverage of the Christchurch massacre.
“In terms of (Brenton Tarrant) we will be conducting a two-pronged investigation. One will be to assist New Zealand police and the second is to make sure that he hasn’t slipped through the cracks,” Commissioner Fuller said.
“There are no links back to NSW at the moment and there are no threats in relation to his activities in NSW at the moment.”
The Australian National Imams Council spokesman, Bilal Rauf, slammed Queensland Senator Fraser Anning for stoking tensions by linking Muslim immigration to the terror attack.
“The terrorists who do this do it for one objective — to divide and fragment our society — which is precisely what we have to guard against,” Mr Rauf said.
“(Senator Anning’s) statement may as well have been an extract from the manifesto of the person that perpetrated the act of terrorism in Christchurch.
“This is a federal parliamentarian representing us, charged with responsibility to act for the betterment of Australia and Australians, yet here he is delivering a message which seeks to divide, stoke the flames of hatred and put Australia in a far worse position.”
Commissioner Fuller was joined at the Australian National Imam’s Council in Chullora by Deputy Commissioner for metropolitan field operations Jeff Loy, Acting Deputy Commissioner for investigations and counter-terrorism Mick Willing, and Assistant Commissioner for south west metropolitan region command Peter Thurtell.
Muslim clerics included the Grand Mufti of Australia and president of the Australian National Imams Council Sheikh Shady Alsuleiman.
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