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| Abdul Numan Haider was quiet, gentle and softly spoken, friend says | Abdul Numan Haider was quiet, gentle and softly spoken, friend says |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| At a Muslim youth camp in Victoria early last year, Abdul Numan Haider attended every lecture, enthusiastically took part in sport and tried his best at camp quizzes. He had to be woken up for dawn prayer but he never complained. | At a Muslim youth camp in Victoria early last year, Abdul Numan Haider attended every lecture, enthusiastically took part in sport and tried his best at camp quizzes. He had to be woken up for dawn prayer but he never complained. |
| Haider’s cabin mate, Mohammed Ibrahim, spent nine days with him and remembers him as “quiet, very gentle, very softly spoken”. The camp catered for young people of all backgrounds, many from disadvantaged families. The theme last year was “The Prophet”. | Haider’s cabin mate, Mohammed Ibrahim, spent nine days with him and remembers him as “quiet, very gentle, very softly spoken”. The camp catered for young people of all backgrounds, many from disadvantaged families. The theme last year was “The Prophet”. |
| Ibrahim says he remembers, too, that Haider seemed to be looking for answers, and asking questions. He was curious, trying to work out his place in the world, and in Australia, as a young Muslim man. | Ibrahim says he remembers, too, that Haider seemed to be looking for answers, and asking questions. He was curious, trying to work out his place in the world, and in Australia, as a young Muslim man. |
| “I didn’t think he was very learned about the religion. His knowledge was basic, he was not well informed,” he said. “I do remember he was the most gentle, quiet, loving person in the camp.” | “I didn’t think he was very learned about the religion. His knowledge was basic, he was not well informed,” he said. “I do remember he was the most gentle, quiet, loving person in the camp.” |
| For those who knew Haider, what he is alleged to have done is unfathomable. He was a “skinny small boy”, a devout Muslim who prayed at the Hallam mosque in Narre Warren, among other places. | For those who knew Haider, what he is alleged to have done is unfathomable. He was a “skinny small boy”, a devout Muslim who prayed at the Hallam mosque in Narre Warren, among other places. |
| Ibrahim said he hadn’t seen Haider since the camp and that he hadn’t expressed any radical views to him at the time. Haider was reportedly associated with the radical organisation Al-Furqan, but it is believed he recently moved away from the group. | Ibrahim said he hadn’t seen Haider since the camp and that he hadn’t expressed any radical views to him at the time. Haider was reportedly associated with the radical organisation Al-Furqan, but it is believed he recently moved away from the group. |
| A worshipper at the Narre Warren mosque said the teenager was upset about the recent cancellation of his passport and the police attention on him, and frustrated at what was happening in Iraq and Syria. | A worshipper at the Narre Warren mosque said the teenager was upset about the recent cancellation of his passport and the police attention on him, and frustrated at what was happening in Iraq and Syria. |
| He was from an Afghani family, too distraught to speak with the media on Wednesday. According to a man at the mosque, who declined to be named, Haider was also frustrated at what is happening overseas in Iraq and Syria and at the proposed new Australian terrorism laws that many Muslims see as targeting their community. | He was from an Afghani family, too distraught to speak with the media on Wednesday. According to a man at the mosque, who declined to be named, Haider was also frustrated at what is happening overseas in Iraq and Syria and at the proposed new Australian terrorism laws that many Muslims see as targeting their community. |
| This young man, 18 or 19 and barely out of school, is alleged to have stabbed two police officers on Tuesday night about 8pm before being shot dead. Police would not confirm reports that he shouted insults about the prime minister, Tony Abbott, and the government before stabbing the officers. Australian Federal Police acting commissioner Andrew Colvin said there was “no specific threats” made. | This young man, 18 or 19 and barely out of school, is alleged to have stabbed two police officers on Tuesday night about 8pm before being shot dead. Police would not confirm reports that he shouted insults about the prime minister, Tony Abbott, and the government before stabbing the officers. Australian Federal Police acting commissioner Andrew Colvin said there was “no specific threats” made. |
| Police said that when they asked Haider to answer some questions about what they called “some concerns” about his recent behaviour – specifically attending a shopping centre with an Islamic State flag and inflammatory social media comments about the AFP and Asio – he had asked to meet them at the Endeavour Hills police station in south-west Melbourne. | Police said that when they asked Haider to answer some questions about what they called “some concerns” about his recent behaviour – specifically attending a shopping centre with an Islamic State flag and inflammatory social media comments about the AFP and Asio – he had asked to meet them at the Endeavour Hills police station in south-west Melbourne. |
| Police agreed. There was no intention of arresting him at that stage and the idea was to keep it all low key. He had been a “person of interest” for about three months and his passport had been cancelled last week owing to what police said was an “escalation of his activity” in recent days. | Police agreed. There was no intention of arresting him at that stage and the idea was to keep it all low key. He had been a “person of interest” for about three months and his passport had been cancelled last week owing to what police said was an “escalation of his activity” in recent days. |
| Police alleged that when they went to greet him Haider stabbed the AFP officer in the abdomen, neck and head, and then the Victorian officer on the forearm. Both were members of the joint counter-terrorism taskforce. The Victorian officer shot and killed him with a single shot. It was all over in minutes. | Police alleged that when they went to greet him Haider stabbed the AFP officer in the abdomen, neck and head, and then the Victorian officer on the forearm. Both were members of the joint counter-terrorism taskforce. The Victorian officer shot and killed him with a single shot. It was all over in minutes. |
| More alarmingly, the Age reported that Haider’s plan was to follow instructions from the international terror group Islamic State and behead the officers, cover the bodies in the flag of Islamic State and take photos to post via the internet. | More alarmingly, the Age reported that Haider’s plan was to follow instructions from the international terror group Islamic State and behead the officers, cover the bodies in the flag of Islamic State and take photos to post via the internet. |
| Police have not confirmed that report and did not discuss it at the media conference. Victoria’s police commissioner, Ken Lay, did say that police found a second knife among Haider’s possessions. Lay agreed with assistant commissioner Luke Cornelius “100%” that police had “no choice” but to shoot Haider, a remark that legal and Islamic groups say pre-empts a homicide and coronial investigation. Victoria’s anti-corruption body, Ibac, would also oversee the investigation. | Police have not confirmed that report and did not discuss it at the media conference. Victoria’s police commissioner, Ken Lay, did say that police found a second knife among Haider’s possessions. Lay agreed with assistant commissioner Luke Cornelius “100%” that police had “no choice” but to shoot Haider, a remark that legal and Islamic groups say pre-empts a homicide and coronial investigation. Victoria’s anti-corruption body, Ibac, would also oversee the investigation. |
| Haider lived in Narre Warren, a suburb 40km south-east of Melbourne in the sprawling City of Casey, one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia. It is diverse – Islam is the fifth-most common religion practiced and 4,400 people were born in Afghanistan. | Haider lived in Narre Warren, a suburb 40km south-east of Melbourne in the sprawling City of Casey, one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia. It is diverse – Islam is the fifth-most common religion practiced and 4,400 people were born in Afghanistan. |
| In Narre Warren on Wednesday there was a deep sense of scepticism among the Muslim community about the police’s allegations, a sign of growing mistrust and alienation. | In Narre Warren on Wednesday there was a deep sense of scepticism among the Muslim community about the police’s allegations, a sign of growing mistrust and alienation. |
| One man, Mustafa, demanded to see the CCTV footage. Another said that the cancellation of passports had led to distrust of police and intelligence agencies. | |
| Police and politicians were anxious to calm everyone down and went out of their way to emphasise that what happened on Tuesday night was not about religion or ethnicity, but about allegations about the actions of an individual. | Police and politicians were anxious to calm everyone down and went out of their way to emphasise that what happened on Tuesday night was not about religion or ethnicity, but about allegations about the actions of an individual. |
| They are nervous about Islamic anger and equally anxious about anti-Muslim sentiment spilling out of control. | They are nervous about Islamic anger and equally anxious about anti-Muslim sentiment spilling out of control. |
| “Victoria police will not tolerate any act of racism and intolerance,” said Lay. “Extreme behaviour has nothing whatsoever to do with faith”. | “Victoria police will not tolerate any act of racism and intolerance,” said Lay. “Extreme behaviour has nothing whatsoever to do with faith”. |
| The man who shared a cabin with Haider tried to explain the complexity of what many Muslims are feeling. | The man who shared a cabin with Haider tried to explain the complexity of what many Muslims are feeling. |
| “There’s always a sense of misplacement and doubt over whether you belong,” he said. | “There’s always a sense of misplacement and doubt over whether you belong,” he said. |
| On the one hand, he said, there was a desire to prove yourself a good citizen. On the other, Muslims were always having to explain actions that had nothing to do with them. | On the one hand, he said, there was a desire to prove yourself a good citizen. On the other, Muslims were always having to explain actions that had nothing to do with them. |
| “There is a sense of questioning, of whether you belong, about what your status is in this country.” | “There is a sense of questioning, of whether you belong, about what your status is in this country.” |