Times They're A-Changin'....

Self-named/appointed Islamic cleric Abdul Nacer Benbrika aka Abu Bakr, holder of dual citizenship (Algerian/Australian) and one of the 17 men arrested in Sydney and Melbourne last November, charged with membership of a terrorist organisation and of planning terrorist attacks on Australian targets, once told an ABC Radio interviewer: "Osama bin Laden, he is a great man. Osama bin Laden was a great man before 11 September, which they said he did it, until now nobody knows who did it." He went on further to defend Muslims fighting against coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. And further, he said, "According to my religion, jihad is a part of my religion and what you have to understand is that anyone who fights for the sake of Allah, when he dies, the first drop of blood that comes from him will be forgiven." And: "There are two laws. There is Australian law. There is Islamic law."

He made it know that he hoped to 'kill 1000' Australians to 'please Allah'. This is a man who, born in Algeria, arrived in Australia in May, 1989 on a one-month visitor's permit. Twice he gained extensions and settled in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, an area with a large Muslim population. His permit expired in 1990 and he became a prohibited non-citizen. The next six years were spent trying to obtain the right to stay, through the Immigration Review Tribunal appeals process. During his hearings he told the Tribunal of his "love of the Australian lifestyle."

How gullible we are!

He married a Lebanese woman (an Australian citizen) in 1992 and they now have seven children (one each for them, one for Peter Costello/government and four for Allah!). In 1996 he was granted Australian residency and he became an Australian 'citizen' in 1998, as well as keeping his Algerian citizenship.

It was revealed in a Melbourne court yesterday, one of Benbrika's co-accused, a Shane Kent, received weapons and explosives training at a Taliban-run training camp for jihads in Afghanistan. It is alleged Kent committed himself to violent jihad at a meeting with bin Laden. Benbrika was proud of him, the court heard.

Benbrika, it is alleged, encouraged his devotees to plan a large-scale terrorist attack, which was foiled by police during its planning stages.

Abdulla Merhi one of Benbrika's devotees and co-accused, according to police surveillance, said he 'could wait months but not years' to carry out violent jihad. He was advised by Benbrika he/they shouldn't kill just one, two or three but do a big thing. To which Merhi responded 'Like Madrid?' Benbrika is said to have replied: 'That's it!'

These three traitors plus the other 14 should be locked up for the term of their natural lives, never to see the light of day and freedom again.

Some of the charges carry a MAXIMUM prison term of 25 years.

Merhi is 21 years old. Kent 29. Does this seem ample punishment to you? It certainly doesn't to me!