The jihadi maxim is that there can be no peace until the whole world is subject to Sharia law – the hatred of the jihadist ideology is as applicable in Australasia as it is in Syria, Lebanon or Israel.
Unfortunately, Islam only justifies invasive privacy laws as we seek safety from these guys.
Radicals always security risk
Poor old Mark Taylor … he’s a bit of a worry.
The 38-year-old ex-NZ Army man from Hamilton adopted Islam, changed his name to Mohammad Daniel – or Abu Abdul Rahman – and took off around the world looking for a fight as a soldier for Allah.
He recently arrived in Syria and proudly burned his New Zealand passport saying he wouldn’t return to his homeland because his intention was to become a martyr for Allah.
Now he has changed his mind and wants another New Zealand passport so he can return here.
Radical Muslims believe that one quick and certain way to get to paradise is to die as a martyr fighting for Allah in holy war – typically wielding jihad, often in the military expansion of Islam.
Young men have been fighting for Allah across the Middle East and other places for centuries now, secure in the knowledge that when they are killed they will go straight to paradise where they will each find rows of dark-eyed virgins waiting to fulfill their every need.
I hope they haven’t run out of virgins yet, but my arithmetic says they may have.
Our Government knew about Mohammad Daniel – he was caught trying to enter an Al-Qaeda stronghold near the Afghanistan border five years ago. He said that he was only trying to get a Muslim wife and that the authorities had got him all wrong.
The United States nonsensically put him on a “selectee” list (rather than a “no-fly” list) due to his demonstrated connections with a radical Muslim organisation. The authorities here were sure that they could keep a good eye on him because he was based in New Zealand or Australia.
Imagine their surprise when he popped up in Syria clutching an AK47 and ready to help his Muslim brothers in their struggle. We aren’t sure if the “butter fingers” was the Aussies or us as he had lived in both places, but the system didn’t work on this occasion.
Now this poor man – just looking for love – has at least come clean about his intentions. In a YouTube video posted from Syria he said: “I am a New Zealander known as Mark John Taylor, my current location is in Syria and my commitment is for jihad, for Allah and his messenger.”
I’m sure that all of our hearts will be bleeding for poor Mohammad … no job, no love, no passport, no country, no peace, no paradise – and certainly no virgins.
Just a poor misunderstood man who would like to thank John Key for “ruining his life”.
Fancy that – unreasonable John Key picking on him just because he is a confessed Muslim terrorist.
And such is our perverseness there will be several other “misunderstood” blokes just like Mohammad who turn up trying to return to New Zealand and Australia who find that there is no appetite to let them back in either.
I’m sure the civil liberties people will lend them a hand. What if his masters think he can do more damage here?
The jihadi maxim is that there can be no peace until the whole world is subject to Sharia law – the hatred of the jihadist ideology is as applicable in Australasia as it is in Syria, Lebanon or Israel.
The closeness of everything in our “global village” makes us more dependent on an efficient security system than ever before.
Fortunately the Five Eyes system worked in Sydney recently and prevented an innocent Aussie being beheaded for a video.
Perhaps we ought to get behind it rather than tear it down?
Chris Northover is a Wanganui-based former corporate lawyer who has worked in the fields of aviation, tourism, health and the environment.
