Police and politicians call for calm after killing of Victoria terrorism suspect
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Version 0 of 1. The overwhelming message from senior police and politicians on Wednesday after a terrorism suspect was shot dead by police in Melbourne was for Australia’s multi-faith community to remain calm and harmonious. On Tuesday night, counter-terrorism police had planned to interview Abdul Numan Haider, an 18-year-old terrorism suspect who had been monitored for three months by police and intelligence agencies. In the past week, Haider’s behaviour had become more worrying and while he had not made any specific threats, what police had seen caused them enough concern to cancel his passport, acting AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin said. “There’s certainly information that he was present at a shopping centre in the last week or so with a flag that appeared to be an Isis flag,” he said. “A range of factors that gave us concern about his ... possibly his intentions and what he may do but, again, it wasn’t specific. On this occasion we made the decision that we needed to talk to him to understand a little more about what his thoughts and motivations may be.” Police were not intending to arrest Haider, whose family is from Afghanistan, when they met with him in the carpark of the Endeavour Hills police station on Wednesday night. The Victorian police commissioner, Ken Lay, said: “We needed to have a chat to him about a couple of issues and we just wanted to test some of his thinking and certainly, give him some views from our point of view about what was acceptable and what wasn’t.” But, he said, Haider attacked almost immediately, stabbing two police officers. A leading senior constable from Victoria police received a serious slash across his arm, while a federal police officer had wounds to his neck, stomach and head. One of the officers then shot Haider, killing him. Both police officers were in a stable condition in hospital Wednesday evening, Victoria police said, and the federal police officer required multiple surgeries. Fairfax Media reported Haider planned to behead officers and post the images online. Guardian Australia has been unable to verify these reports, which neither the Victorian or federal police would confirm. But the justice minister, Michael Keenan, said the public should feel confident that the police, the security services and the government were taking “every possible step to ensure the safety and security of all our communities”. “I would encourage people to remain calm and let the authorities get on with their job.” His call was echoed by the Victorian premier, Denis Napthine, who urged people to “remain calm and go about their business”. His government had made contact with faith leaders across the Victorian community, he said. “It is imperative that we do all that we can to reassure all members of the Victorian community that everything is being done to protect our safety and making sure that our community continues to work together as a whole Victorian community. “Let me make it very, very clear. One of the greatest strengths, one of the greatest assets we have here in Victoria, is our harmonious, diverse, multicultural, multi-faith community.” A statement released by the Islamic Council of Victoria called for a full and thorough investigation into Haider’s death. Their secretary, Ghaith Krayem, said Haider deserved the presumption of innocence until that investigation being carried out by the homicide squad and Ibac was complete. “There needs to be a full and objective investigation into this incident to ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated,” the council said. “Our focus at this time is on supporting the young family of the man and ensuring their needs are catered for. “There will be many questions that they will want answers to and in the fullness of time we expect that the events of last night will become clearer.” Yahya Safi, an executive member of the Australian National Imam’s Council, spoke on behalf of the grand mufti of Australia to say the horrors conducted overseas in the name of religion were “crimes against humanity and sins against god”. “The recent so-called fatwa from overseas, making no reference to Australia as a target, has no religious authority and must be rejected,” Safi said. “The noble Quran states clearly that whoever kills a person it is as if he has killed all of humanity. And whoever saves the life of a person is as if he save all of humanity.” But tensions in the community have been escalating over recent weeks. In the same press conference, Mariam Veiszadeh from the Islamophobia Register said attacks against Muslims in Australia had escalated in recent months. “A number of women, particularly in hijab, and children have been verbally abused and threatened,” she said. “A man in Perth tried to rip the scarf off a woman’s head.” The prime minister, Tony Abbott, currently in New York for a UN security council meeting, is acutely aware that the shooting death comes at a time when he is preparing tough new anti-terrorism legislation and the security fears of Australians are heightened. Australia’s terror alert has been raised to high. And last week, Australia’s largest ever counter-terrorism raids were carried out in Sydney. In a video statement released on Wednesday, Abbott said: “Police will be constantly vigilant to protect us against people who would do us harm”. In his absence, the acting prime minister, Warren Truss, used parliamentary question time to reiterate the need for calm. “We are an inclusive and tolerant society,” he said. “The actions of violent criminals do not represent the views or the attitudes of the overwhelming majority of Australians, regardless of their faith or ethnicity. “I urge the Australian public to remember that violence against anyone based on their religion or their beliefs or race is never acceptable. To turn on each other on the basis of religion or race would just give in to the terrorist groups.” |