In what must be the worst piece yet to appear in the Australian media on the Haneef case, Piers Akerman has disclosed a new method of detecting terrorists – they are shy, gentle and considerate:
What is not surprising is the struggling Nine network chose 60 Minutes reporter Tara Brown for its sympathetic cash-for-comment Haneef interview or that she found him “a shy man … gentle for a suspected terrorist”. It has an eerie echo in a phrase by John Hooper, in The Observer, who described Mohamed Atta – the terrorist who piloted American Airlines Flight 11 into the World Trade Centre – as “a shy, considerate man who endeared himself to Western acquaintances”.
The rest of the piece simply confirms my view that the difference between Akerman and Jabba the Hutt is that Jabba is a fine human being.
I am more astounded to find a person that still reads Ackerman since he has seemed to have made himself chief protector of issues supporting the Howard govt.
SO if we investigated all quiet, polite softly spoken people, people with beards and doctors we should be safe from terrorism.
CAN there be a more confusing messed up affair than this one on Haneef. Information, misinformation, stuff ups, politics, wrong information being presented to the court and so forth. Then we get an Indian police dossier that the journalists warns should be treated with scepticism alleging terrorist links.
The dossier is written in bad english with bad spelling. Unless the author of the report is Australian [then I would understand] you would be surprised, since Indian public servants are usually very strong on english.
Then we hear that senior Indian police have no interest in Haneef or is he being investigated on the same program by the same journalist. The journalist raises the possibility of the document being ‘prepared’ on the request of Australia or Britain to politcally support their efforts. Which makes the dossier’s purpose and content even more suspect. Gee even John Laws is treating it with suspiscion.
Then we have an ASIO investigation into Haneef which says there are no issues of concern. ASIO would have most certainly contacted Indian police and intelligence as well as British police and intelligence. BUT later we see a report that MI5 reckon Haneef has been in contact with radical groups in Britain by phone. [not sure what that would mean].
Amongst all this we have the fact that Haneef tried to call Scotland yard 4 times about his SIM card as soon as he heard it was an issue.
The reason this affair has become a mess is;
1. Errors of fact in the begining
2. Political pressure to produce a case later – which lead to false representation of fact to the court
3. Efforts to support the case by leaking bits and pieces of informaiton implying ‘guilt’.
4. Other agencies outside Australia trying to come to the aid of the AFP and or Govt.
This all occured because the Ruddock, Howard and Andrews quickly politicised the whole thing for vote buying and turned a non-case into a fiasco.
I now doubt that the UK police told the AFP the wrong SIM card info – this is just too bizar of a mistake to make. The UK police along with the late and conflicting MI5 statement seem to be for the purpose of supporting a mate [AFP police]. I suspect the Indian dossier was simply produced to aid the Aust government’s position or some other spurious reason.
The lesson hopefully learned is that Politicising security and police issues increases our risk.
My concern is a more general one. I’m heartily sick of columnists whose opinion on every issue is automatically based on whether they are supporters or opponents of the Government. That goes for Adams just as much as Akerman and Bolt. Why bother with a column? Just give us a headline telling us who your going to vote for.
Akerman is guilty of lots of things, self-appointed advocate for the government is one of them. Interesting outcome for someone who is/was as much of a lefty as anybody.
However he is also carefully thought out, and it is hard to lay a glove on most of what he writes.
He is many things, but writing “the worst piece” on anything, could never apply. He tends to get to the heart of the matter, (75% of the time anyway).
Miranda Devine is working off the same talking points today:
You wonder how much the Fairfax Press gets paid to run articles by Devine and Henderson.
Except when you read it it doesn’t even do that. It says that when Haneef was at college he ‘must have come into contact with the members of terrorist entities and assisted’. It’s a bit like saying someone who studied at the Australian Graduate School of Management must have come into contact with free market extremists ‘and assisted’ (whatever that means). Pure speculation.
The other bit about him being suspected of supporting the UK terrorists is 99% certain to be the Indian summary of what they understood to be the AFP’suspicions. Nobody’s suggested a reason why Indian police should know more about the UK events than the Australian authorities.
It was totally irresponsible of SBS to publish the document when they don’t know its status or authorship and they ought to be ashamed of themselves.
BTW it would be nice to see the Press Council or someone investigating the source of those stories that Haneef was learning to fly, had dodgy pictures on his laptop and so on. The AFP has categorically denied being the source and the stories appear to have been a complete fabrication intended to prejudice Haneef (successfully no doubt). But I won’t hold my breath waiting to find out who was responsible.
Steve At The Pub:
Steve At The Pub,
Pull the other one, its got bells on it.
As for Ackerman’s effort at comparing Atta – the leader of the 9/11 attack – to Haneef….is there any need to go on?
He got particularly narky in a column earlier this year about teh evil promiscuous gay and the strain we put on the public health purse in HIV contraction, STIs etc (I think compulsory circumcision was thrown in somewhere) as our result of our lifestlye choices.
Interestingly though, no condemnation of those straining the health system through their lifestyle choice of morbid obesity.
I wish these right wing caped crusaders would stop crapping on about embarrassing bungled cases of suspected terrorists that make Australia look like Keystone Cops so we can get on with the real work of being alert but not alarmed. All these geese do is honk loudly at all the wrong signals and trade heavily in stereotypes and worse, they don’t care if they are not properly informing the public. Piggy the Axe has got to be the most tiresome. He is so carried away by the thought of declaring war on all these posited extremist Holy Jihad fuckers that he completely loses touch with reality.
I am sick and tired of this Dr Haneef case. The whole thing reeks of results resulting from immense pressure to produce results – in a word incompetence. It’s just been a massive waste of government time, effort and expense and I just can’t beat the feeling that while the machinery of government counter-terrorism is thus engaged, they might be missing something really serious. Maybe some MP in opposition should be making that point.
if you’re not with the bombastic pricks, YOU’RE WITH THE TERRORISTS!
I have had a lockable seatbelt installed on my office chair. Whenever I am about to read an Ackerman article I strap myself up, lock myself in and give the key to my wife with instructions to return in ten minutes.
I have also had all ash trays and other heavy implements removed from my desk. If I somehow managed to set myself free I would be tempted to grab something destructive and throw it at my expensive PC screen.
Once I thought I might try a straight jacket, as I was worried I might (in full Piers reading mode) attempt to perform self harm, such as gouging out my own eyes, or biting through my tongue, but the claustrophobic feelings were too much, even for me. Luckily I did not need it, as I have matured since the days when I regularly used to stab myself while listening to John Laws when he was at his worst, in the 1980s.
As to the substance of the article – that you can tell a terrorist because they’re the calm, polite ones – I’m disgusted. But you already knew that
Actually, I quite like the tag line for Piers:
I think that a typo must have ommited the commas which I have put back in.
:-p
The substance of the article is NOT that the quiet ones are the ones to watch. The substance is that books should not be judged by their covers.
Most unwise to adopt any other approach.
No SATP, it is very wise indeed to avoid any worldview where you’re suspicious of everyone, and make no distinction on the basis of unpredictable, irrational or otherwise worrying behaviour. What this does is make every Muslim a suspect.
All muslims are suspects? Gee, wonder why?
Yes, yes Steve. Muslims are overwhelmingly responsible for recent terrorism. Does this mean that suspecting every man jack of them is wise? Helpful?
Yes it does.
I take it you don’t live in a neighborhood full of friendly and courteous Muslims Steve.
And for our viewers in black and white, an urgent message from Piers Akerman…
FDB!! Get out of there NOW!!! Run!!!11!1!!!
SATP, I just hope your shit stirring and not being serious. I mean, you have a lot of things to deal with in your life, gleaned by your comments over a period of time, but from Magistrates to Muslims in a week, I would just love to hear your response if a black Muslim Magistrate , err, didn’t quite see the way you put things before a Court.
First they show you how to dry-cure your olives in salt and feed your cat while you’re away, then before you know it they’re using their perfidious global network to drive a flaming 4WD through your living room wall.
Why oh why didn’t I just call Kevin Andrews when first I noticed they were ragheads?
Has nobody wondered why SATP doesn’t have typos. (thru too fast typing or passion), is always just on the low side of ludicrous (given current ‘journalistic standards’tho by any rational criterion beyond parody) and always, relentlessly, boringly, unerringly, rabble calming?
Fink ’bout it.
I’m a very fine human being indeed, Mr Norton.
Or at least that’s what me mom says.
Lang Mack, I am too worn out to ever stir anything.
When another religion/cult/group/social club carries on as muslims currently do, I am perfectly happy to be wary of them also.
I don’t see the so-called intelligentsia urinating in their pants with fear of offending any other group except muslims, so muslims certainly have convinced everyone they mean business.
BTW, there is NOTHING new in my opinion of magistrates. I have always been an outspoken advocate for every magistrate to be worked over by street thugs at least once early in their career.
FYI a black muslim magistrate should see things I put before a court through the eyes of the law. If they don’t they should not be there.
You been he’s Greenfield’s brother?
Love child?
I don’t read him either, Kina, but I have seen him on The Insiders. A few weeks ago the topic turned to the Australian survivor of one of the London bombings, who had done a piece for Get Up that Piers didn’t like. He made a great show of calling on Rudd to repudiate the Get Up production. Exactly why this would be Rudd’s responsibility, or why he should take this course of action, was not explained.
I comfort myself in the knowledge that the only people who read him are already conservative voters anyway.
Shorter Snorky: I only ever read things which reinforce my own prejudices.
SAATP – lying as usual. You READ other stuff but only to spread your depressing dampening wet blanket.
I’m new to this Netthingy but, if you can (highly unlikely) be honest, what IS your problem?
You haven’t (demonstrated) the intelligence to be simply a contrarian a’la Chris Hitchens – just keeping others on their toes, you often misrepresent what others say or mean (you obviously aren’t that dumb tho you pretend to be an ocker) so the only option is that you are simply what the amerikans call a paid troll.
Fortunately you ain’t that good at it, brush up your verbiage or, were I you’re controller, you’d be facing deletion or at least a ‘show cause’ why you should drop a payscale. Level Two, acting Three perhaps?
“I put before a Court”, SATP, well, although I doubt it, however if true, I wouldn’t want you to represent me as defendant, witness , arraign, or advise, either way, as your biased opinions would clear you from any association with justice.
Refuse superior advocacy at your own peril Lang Mack, get yourself the duty solicitor, and prepare to spend some time on the bread & water!
SATP, and bye the way, you have told us that Muslims are bloody suspect, every one,and then you would expect a Muslim Court official to uphold the law.
I occasionally enjoy your comments, however, have think before you post such rubbish, better still, try and remember what you have posted so you retain a little respect.
SATP clearly didn’t get the message of Leunig’s cartoon when a prominent Al Queda member was caught:
Leunig was projecting what he thought a RWDB would think of the news?
Just guessing
Leunig need to escape his Communist roots
You can see where Piers Ackerman is coming from! He has to meet a deadline,that is pre-fashioned on the headline!? Now the funny part steve at the pub came up with,must be making the unionists and others think they could get jobs as comedians to a member.. at Murdoch Newspaper meetings.Has he been drinking with a recording of Slim Dusty!? The Greens werent mentioned,only the Democrats..I wonder if I had something to do with that!? Gee! Andrew Bartlett is working hard enough now,without having to think,the amount of time Piers worked on that article means Andrew Bartlett is inefficient!!!!???? Better practice my favourite word,before I type it.!? S…………..H……..I………..T……….Dont say anything about Miranda Devine….. its only rumour that her dad and Piers s is the same one,and Uncle Rupert isnt so fond off Miranda as he was! And I am so loony that I think that 9/11 was a demolition,and the problem for Australian Police is they know that,and,Bin Laden is still dangerous,for whatever reason,until They, the Federal Police, can separate fiction from fact about him. Would you believe the Brits and U.S.A cops up to now?.Seeing Keelty has made it clear some actions of the Howard government may have increased the risk, of terrorist attack,and copped shit for doing so. And sadly for him and Haneef he has had to repeat the mantra of…… ongoing investigation.To be honest I dont know the Federal Police dont accept the 9/11 scenario,I hope they stay mum,on that, and dont say much!
When are we going to have a thread on the appalling state of education in our schools?
I (naturally) blame the Labor (sic) State Governments
Steve at the Pub reckons all Muslims are suspect because a few of them are terrorists.
Jeez, does that mean we should suspect all coppers of being lying crooks because a few of them are undoubtedly so (to wit, Roger Rogerson)?
Bet you’d be real effective in cross, mate. Except, of course, before a certain Brisbane Magistrate.
It helps to demonise a segment of society based on the actions of a few. You can blame them for anything and treat them anyway you like without having to feel any guilt or give them any rights. Hmmm sounds like Germany some time in the past.
I wonder if SATP has ever considered what citizens of muslim nations think of the thoudands of armed, uniformed chrisitian pacifists invading their countries, robbing their natural resources, indisciminately bombing their populations from the air, corrupting their governments and basically trashing thousands of years of belief and tradition.
But, of course, it’s for their own good.
Knowing this, why would one put a more complicated spin on terrorism than simple revenge.
It’s not the schools where the damage is done. It’s the shock and awe jocks like Piers and SATP who knowingly pull and tear at the democratic and functional threads of our society that ordinary working Australians have fought,struggled and died for that annoys me.
It is appalling that their appeal to the lowest common denominator is always based on expressing maximum fear or maximum greed. In Piers latest effort fear predominates but little of their destructive behaviour benefits anybody.
http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp
Most are well armed and militarily trained, some are paramilitary. All growing in numbers, sophistication and intent. By any definition these are terrorist organisations and not a Muslim amongst them.
Then there are extremist evangelical religious organisations, also rapidly growing in numbers, power and influence. Many who have radical religious codes not dissimilar to some of Islam’s teachings, for example strict neck to ankle dress codes for women and the subservience of women. The only reason these organisations are not violent is that they have huge amounts of money and influence throughout society and on government. They have very sophisticated media arms and can distribute misinformation and creed very rapidly to a wide audience. If these radical Christian groups ever had a government that oppressed them and attempted to take away their tenets as being too extreme and against human rights, there is no doubt they would organise and become violent, in other words terrorists.
“Interesting outcome for someone who is/was as much of a lefty as anybody.”
I think you may be right on that, SATP. Seem to remmber, Gerard henderson, of all people, revealing that back in the 60s in the Vietnam protest years, Piers flourished under the nickname of “Hanoi Piers”.
Alas, he’s fallen a lot further than Hitchens.
Don Wigan,
one of the interesting things about many of the middle-aged warmongers of today is that in the days when they could have been called up, they were very anti-war. Albert Langer, Ackerman..etc. Their patron saint is George W Bush. He wasn’t keen on going to Vietnam either.
The list of chickenhawks is never-ending.
BTW, don’t over-estimate Hitchens. He has sunk very low. He’s on Kissiger’s team now, even if he can’t admit it. They are both GWB supporters on Iraq.
Mean while the real terrorists go about their business with little denunciation from the corporate media.
Chav, if you are calling Ozzi soldiers “terrorists” then you are not fit to hold Australian citizenship, a firing squad would have applied in times past, and deservedly so.
Ah, yet again the Right demonstrates their commitment to freedom of speech!
Meanwhile, where are the terrorism charges in this case? Surely stealing hundreds of grenades, rifles and other explosives is a step above lending a SIM card…?
Girls wear skirt and boys wear pants . So pretty easy to see where Aka comes from.