On the other hand, the fires must alert us to the extreme danger posed by pyroterrorism, especially as global terrorist organisations continue to modify their strategies in the face of the increasingly effective counter-terror- ism measures that are being employed against them....Pyroterrorism may be defined as the use by non-state organisations of large-scale fires to attack, intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in order to advance political, social or religious objectives. In pursuit of its objectives it exhibits the four central elements of terrorism: the targeting of non-combatants, a political motiva- tion, extreme violence with an intended psychological impact, and organised and totally committed perpetrators. Lead article in National Observer: Australia's nightmare: bushfire jihad and pyroterrorismThe National Observer's obsession with national security issues,
"... Australia's leading current affairs quarterly specialising in domestic and international politics, security-related challenges and issues of national cohesion.-- takes me way back to the sort of pitch the National Civic Council used to deploy in order to consolidate a coalition on the right of Australian politics. This time it ain't communists or the Red or Yellow Peril but Islamists. This time too it has been seeded from a strong dose of John Howard style jingoism. "National cohesion" is a wonderful catchphrase is it not that would even sit comfortably within the ALP?
"One of the functions of National Observer is to provide high-quality commentary which is not affected by contemporary political correctness or prejudices. It, therefore, examines issues from thepoint of view of the long-term interests of Australians."
This is the sort of journalese that would do B. A Santamaria (pictured a past contributor) proud.
So the Observer functions to provide resourced cover to this POV it seems while also supplying fuel for online Islamophobic web sites.
The irony nonetheless is that despite all the authoritarian anti-terrorist legislation (including the new spate of anti-biker laws being bought in in SA, NSW and QLD) the article in effect suggests that no matter what you do, no rash of legislation can protect the body politic from arson of a bushfire nature.
And bushfire arson is so cheap! No need for oodles of ammonium nitrate or fuses...you probably don't even need a can of kerosene to get the terror going -- one box of Redheads each Summer should be enough to take your terrorizing a very long way!
If that is the case it seems that Australia is breeding its very own layer of pyro-terrorists without any assistance from Al-Quaeda as one third of bushfires are thought to be deliberately lit but not, ( -- "Drat !" says the National Observer!) by Islamists. The way the National Observer is likely to rule on it -- Moslems should be banned from joining the Country Fire Authority just so they don't get in the know and in the habit -- such as leaving the mosques in Sydney's West after services and going bush for a weekend of practice burns.
I can imagine the sort of call out: "Family group of Middle Eastern appearance seen acting suspiciously , picnicking under a gum tree. Approach with extreme caution. May be armed with bbq, kebabs (on sharpened implements), Tabouleh... and matches."
