Terrorism definition in spotlight after Sydney attacks

The Australian Financial Review reported on Tuesday a meme spreading in WhatsApp chat groups in the Sydney Islamic community that suggests people with darker skin were likely to be judged “terrorists” while those with lighter skin were “mentally ill”.

It is a reference to the Bondi Junction attacker, who killed six people on Saturday, being labelled a mentally ill lone wolf, versus the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel being labelled as a religiously motivated terrorist attack.

Mr Kheir said he gives police and politicians the benefit of the doubt and believes it was not their intention to label the attack terrorism just because of the alleged attacker’s religion, or the words he spoke before the stabbing.

However, he said the definition of terrorism from a legal standpoint needs to be examined because it alienates the Muslim community.

“Don’t alienate a faith that has nothing to do with this. It’s alien to my faith. When you start basing everything on a faith base, and it happens to be the Muslim faith in every circumstance, then that definition starts to become, by its very nature, a racist definition,” he said.

“Either we call a terrorist act for what it is, regardless of the perpetrator and we’re not selective with it. To me, the definition of a terrorist act fits Bondi way more than this individual. Both are hideous, both are disgusting, and they should be rightfully condemned.”

The labelling of the Wakeley attack as a terrorist incident gives the police investigation access to state and federal police, ASIO and other agencies, a co-ordinating group and a lot of resources, said Greg Barton, Professor Global Islamic Politics, at the Alfred Deakin Institute for Globalisation & Citizenship

“If they don’t make the declaration, they don’t have the resources.”

Mr Barton noted that just because a counterterrorism investigation is launched, it does not mean the alleged attacker will face terrorism charges.

Mr Barton said in the Wakeley attack case, the alleged attacker is still alive and police can quickly put together his social circles, family and online activity to make an assessment.

“They said ‘religiously inspired’. They didn’t say Islamist. They didn’t say Islamic State. So they were sort of cautious about using inflammatory language, and yet they’ve got to be public and transparent,” Mr Barton said.

“Otherwise, if they secretly have a terrorism investigation without publicly declaring it, that would be a breach of their legal requirement.”

The Bondi attacker attributed with mental illness and police said he appeared to target women. Five of the six people killed were women.

Mr Barton said police would have looked to see whether he was part of any online incel (involuntary celibates) communities who expressed hateful and misogynistic views towards woman. But, at this stage there is no evidence to suggest the attacker was part of those groups.

“They found no indication that he was felt part of a political movement and was doing something which was going to change the system or challenge the system. That’s important because quite rightly there have been cases with incels that have been classified as terrorism.”

Mr Minns told the Nine Network’s Today show the declaration of terrorism was “not a performative gesture”.

“We’re not interested in labelling one crime higher than another crime in NSW – that designation needed to happen to unlock powers for NSW Police to investigate this crime,” Mr Minns said.

“It’s my judgment that the absolute right decision was made, and I just hope people don’t second guess the police at the moment.”