I Encourage These Young Men.

Note: These young men are good fellows. They deserve encouragement, and I hope that the NSW Police take them on.






It's the very thin, blue Islamic line


April 30, 2006

YOUNG Muslims want to become police officers but feel there is no point joining an organisation that doesn't want them, community leaders say.

The Sun-Herald has been told that as few as 24 of NSW's 15,000 officers are practising Muslims. And with relations between Sydney's Lebanese Muslims and NSW Police at a record low, numbers are unlikely to rise.

Islamic Friendship Association spokesman Keysar Trad said accusations Muslims would rather harbour criminals than co-operate with police, such as in the Cronulla riots investigation, were damaging.

Federation of Australian Muslim Students and Youth president Chaaban Omran agreed that many well-educated Muslims wanted to join but felt under siege.

"Whichever way you look, their credibility is being tarnished and attacked," he said. "It's not that they don't want to [join] but it's hard when their identity is in question."

Australian Islamic Mission president Zachariah Matthews said the decision by NSW Police to create the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad was an insult.

"At a time when Muslim youth is already undergoing a crisis of identity, ethnic labels are unhelpful, divisive and reinforce stereotypes," he said.

Mohamed Alhalaby, 19, of Villawood, and Imad El Masri, 19, of Cabramatta West, are bucking the trend; they have applied to join the service.

"If I am accepted I will be able not only to bridge the gap but to improve the lines of communication between ethnic Australians and the police and ensure that there is greater respect for the police," Mr Alhalaby said.

Mr El Masri, who is working as a plumber and studying engineering, said: "A lot of young people carry on like idiots when they see police and don't realise they have a job to do."

Mr El Masri and Mr Alhalaby believe recent police comments directed at the community had only fuelled the problem rather entice Australian Lebanese Muslims to help deal with the law breakers.


Comment: The reason for the establishment of 'Middle East Organised Crime Squad'is that there is much crime in NSW committed by arabs from the middle east; and not just muslims. Plenty of Christian arabs are up to their necks in the drug rackets and other serious crimes.

The NSW police should actively try and recruit Arab speaking officers, otherwise this new Crime Squad will not be very effective.

Pressure needs to be maintained on the muslims in NSW to integrate and conform. clearly it is working.