Anti Americanism as a form of ‘radical chic’ and reactive posturing is prevalent amongst Australia’s liberal elites in universities, influential sections of the print and broadcast media, sections of the Australian Labor Party and the “Socialist left” of the Labor Party, conservation and peace groups, anti-globalist protest groups and separatist ethnic groups. In Australia, journalists occupy the space of informed public intellectuals and are commonly assumed and promoted as “experts”. The following extracts from lead articles in national media illustrate the standard of analysis.

The Melbourne Herald Sun  (Vic) coverage of the terrorist attack on the USA is markedly broader and professional than other media.

Paul Lynch: Opinion

“This weeks events, appalling as they have been, are largely American phenomenon-American novel, American flying lessons, Americans Boeings, presumably American-made $2 box cutters, many witnesses said this week’s “events were just like a movie. An American movie”.

“The sleeper theory of planted agents in countries around the world has already taken hold. Now people are seeing cells of dark swarthy men plotting in hospital car parks.” The bombs might fall on Kabul and the suicide jets might have crashed into New York but the beaches of Christmas Island, the coral at Ashmore reef, will see their own victims wash ashore….”

“The US and Australia cannot turn themselves into walled zones with military shields or navy patrols. The answer to terrorism, and to the exodus of refugees it generates, is economic development and democracy in countries that spawn international terrorism.” US President George W Bush talks of a war between good and evil. But should we let terrorists become our great Satan?”

Paul Coats, son of Victoria (Australia) Minister for Housing and Aged and Lian Jenvy (Education Officer, University of Melbourne) were involved in the attempted public burning of an Australian flag, ostensibly protesting the Federal Government’s “anti-Middle East” policy. The protest was cancelled by pressure from the University student bodies.

Bruce Kent Visiting Fellow School of economics Australian National University Canberra ACT.

Our Prime Minister and his immigration minister are not fascists. Yet in their pursuit of deterrence they have in some ways emulated the Nazis.

24 yr old  Iraqi national Ahmad Abdul-Rahman Awad Al-Joufi ,a believed to be a talent spotter for bin Laden terrorist group is still residing in Victoria Australia according to a report in the Melbourne Sun Herald 21 September 2001.

In 1999, he was accused in court of threatening a family for refusing participating in Bin Ladin’s terrorist activities. It was also claimed in court that Al-Joufi had three passports, two from Saudi Arabia and from Yemen. He was reportedly wanted for Saudi Arabia for participation in terrorist activities in the Middle East.

Police claimed in court that Al-Joufi and four accomplices offered to pay Muslims to fight in Bin Laden’s holy wars in Kosovo and Chechnya and compensate the families if they died in battle.  The accused men reportedly ‘raged round the house wielding wooden clubs and smashing windows while yelling in Arabic” you must come with us, you must join”.

Al-Joufi pleased guilty to the charges including riotous assembly, assault with a weapon, recklessly causing serious injury and criminal damage. He received a suspended jail term and was ordered to pay $20,000 compensation.

The report also claimed that Al-Joufi was still residing in Victoria, and has used r the alias Hamoud Abaid Al Anezi.

Comment: This report raises serious questions concerning Australia’s ct capability: (i) How did this person enter Australia (ii) how did he manage to ‘vanish’ into the community in Australia over the past two years (iii) how did he escape deportation as an illegal resident? (who are his associates (v) are they in contact with the WTC terrorists in the USA? The significance of this report is underscored by recent media reports that Bin Laden associates have been in telephone contact with their Australian supporters in Sydney Australia.