Jihadis covet Australia

Jemaah Islamiya, the Indonesian radical Muslim terrorist group, has been widely reported as wanting to establish an Islamic state in Southeast Asia, incorporating Malaysia, Indonesia, Mindanao, and other areas. But Australia has usually been kept out of the equation — until now. According to News.com.au, "occupation of Australia's Top End is a key goal of terror organisation Jemaah Islamiyah, a leading London-based academic has claimed.

"Anthony Paul, from the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the al-Qaida-backed terror organisation wanted to incorporate northern Australia into a Muslim state that would also include South-East Asia. Writing in the respected Malaysian-based New Straits Times, Mr Paul said north Australia was part of Jemaah Islamiyah's plans for regional domination.

"Mr Paul compared JI's strategy to export global revolution with the former Soviet Union's expansionary plans. 'Instead of a world dominated by communist nation states, al-Qaida's vision is of a vast new Islamic nation -- a single caliphate (Muslim state) stretching from southern Spain to the Philippines. Jemaah Islamiyah promotes a more localised manifestation of the same dream -- a caliphate for South-East Asia and northern Australia.' . . .

"The NT Government yesterday called for the Federal Government to maintain a steady security focus in northern Australia. 'From our point of view the Federal Government needs to keep a firm focus on northern Australia because of its location,' a spokesman said. 'It can't just think of capital cities to the south, because we're close to the major population centres of the north.'

"Solomon MHR David Tollner said: 'The Federal Government's focus is very much to the north and it has shown a commitment to maintaining sound relations with our near neighbours.'" I hope he doesn't mistake "sound relations" for dhimmitude. (Thanks to Jean-Luc.)