MAJORITY OF AUSSIE MUSLIMS FEEL TARGETED: POLL

Queensland, 26 Jumadil Awwal 1436/17 March 2015 (MINA) – A new survey has found that the majority Australian Muslims feel under siege by the country’s anti-terror laws, accusing them of “unfairly” targeting the religious minority.

“There is a real risk that the types of experiences reported above play into the hands of Islamic violent extremists by providing fuel for a key narrative they use to justify their actions: that Muslims are a suppressed and victimized minority,” authors of the report warned, the guardian reported on Monday, March 16.

According to a new community attitudes survey, released by researchers from the University of Queensland, about 75% of Muslims believe that the counter-terrorism laws unfairly target their community, affecting their freedom and human rights. OnIslam quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

A few months ago, Prime Minister Tony Abbott proposed new anti-terror measures.

The proposed law, which came in response to the claimed reports of Australians joining extremists overseas, facilitated arresting terror suspects, detaining them without charges and revoking their passports.

Under the new law, which will be funded by $630 million, faces of the Australian travelers will be scanned before flying to other countries.

It angered the Muslims who described these laws as “deplorable” policy that would provoke a deterioration of relations between the religious minority and the Australian community.

The surveyed people were 800 Muslims from various backgrounds, professions, genders and ethnics including Pakistanis, Syrians, Indonesians and South Africans.

The study pointed to the vital role played by community leaders to correct the image of Islam and combat radical views promoted by the so-called Islamic State ISIL.

It also recommended more police efforts to gain Muslim communities’ trust, besides seeking engagement and cooperation.

With majority saying they feel “under siege”, nearly 50% of Australian Muslims have changed the way they dressed, avoided certain mosques and altered travel in a bid to avoid scrutiny. (T/P007/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)