NSW premier to consider IS flag ban


The NSW government may consider banning a flag that has been adopted by Islamic terrorists in the Middle East.

Premier Mike Baird was commenting on reports that a Sydney mosque had sold a black Shahada flag at a fundraiser.

The flag has been used by Muslims for centuries but has recently been adopted by Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq and Syria.

IS is listed as a terrorist organisation in Australia.

Mr Baird was asked if he wanted the flag banned in NSW.

'That's obviously something that we will have to consider and work with local community groups about,' he told reporters in Sydney.

'But we can't have a position where you are seeing any activity that is promoting terrorism, supporting terrorism.'

Mr Baird said he had a 'zero tolerance' approach to any activity that incited terrorism.

The Markaz Imam Ahmad (MIA) mosque in Liverpool in Sydney's southwest, where the flag was auctioned, said the Shahada flag had been in existence for more than a thousand years, 'long before any terrorist organisation misappropriated it for its own political goals'.

The mosque rejected suggestions the flag's sale was connected to IS.

'We reject any attempts to tarnish the good reputation of our centre and pledge to stand firm against the current wave of Islamophobia,' MIA head Sheikh Abu Adnan said in a statement.

'We also believe that scapegoating and fear mongering has the serious potential of radicalising disaffected youth.'

But Mr Baird insisted his concerns over the flag weren't directed at the Islamic faith but at terrorist sympathisers who might use it.

'We obviously understand and appreciate and are very mindful of the tradition of Islam,' he said.

'This in no way goes in any way, shape or form against that.'

The Shahada flag contains the testimony of the Islamic creed, declaring belief in the oneness of God and the acceptance of Mohammed as God's prophet.

Meanwhile, the auction of the flag has prompted Prime Minister Tony Abbott to warn that anyone working with terrorist organisations will be dealt with severely.

Mr Abbott's warned it's a serious crime under Australian law to work with, fund or fight with terrorist organisations.


www.skynews.com.au/news/national/2014/09/08/nsw-premier-to-consider-is-flag-ban....

Armchair_Politician wrote on Sep 8^th, 2014 at 8:29pm:



Is NSW, or Australia, a terrorist group.
Or do you have a default post for all threads.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Sep 8^th, 2014 at 8:37pm:



Sure.
And defending Australian basic rights of expression is not supporting terrorism.

So do you support the banning of the jolly roger?

Armchair_Politician wrote on Sep 8^th, 2014 at 9:30pm:



Pirates are terrorists. Do you support banning the jolly roger or not.

____ wrote on Sep 8^th, 2014 at 9:37pm:




have we been attacked by pirates????....did any of our pirates leave to go and fight in a foreign country?and help chop heads off innocent men.. well did they?

let us know.... then for sure ban the jolly roger by all means

is it our basic right to call a terrorist a terrorist... or has mr wishy washy taken our basic right away from us..
along with milne of course.. who can forget her?

is that her face on the jolly roger?

cods wrote on Sep 8^th, 2014 at 9:53pm:




So the bases on your nanny state banning condition is on who you hate this week.

The eureka flag is the flag of anti - establishment, non-conformist causes.

Is this on the nanny stater's hate list?

Jasin wrote on Sep 8^th, 2014 at 10:00pm:



A lot of bikies today are arabs.