Ramadan raids 'response to shooting'
ELLIE HARVEY AND ARJUN RAMACHANDRAN
September 9, 2009 - 3:17PM


Auburn troublemakers 'cowardly'

Acting Commander of the NSW State Crime Command Ken McKay says those attacking police in Auburn are 'cowardly'.

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The police raids in Auburn were in response to a shooting at the weekend, in which the victim refused to talk to officers, a senior detective said today.

His comments come after about 100 police officers - including the riot squad - had to break up a crowd that threw bottles at police as officers raided four homes in Auburn last night.

Detective Chief Superintendent Ken McKay said today: "But we have a very good idea of what occurred and why it occurred.

"We have chased those leads up and we say it occurred because of criminal activity between a number of people."

Meanwhile, Auburn residents are getting tired of rising crime levels in the suburb and want repeat offenders removed from the area, the mayor says.

Mayor Irene Simms said: "I was at a meeting last night while [the raids] were going down ... a number of residents were saying ... 'We should be able to deport these people.'

"I pointed out [that] a lot of them are probably born here. But when you take citizenship you promise to uphold our laws ... if you don't do that, you are breaking a contract with Australia."

Three homes in Cumberland Road and one home in Normanby Road were targeted.

Police allege they found two stun guns, cannabis, a large sum of cash, a handgun and ammunition.

As a crowd of about 150 gathered during the raids, police called in the riot squad, a police helicopter and the dog squad.

"The crowd gathered and [the confrontation] escalated in a matter of five to 10 minutes," Detective Inspector Mick Reynolds said.

No one from the crowd was arrested or injured, police said.

It is believed the crowd gathered in response to one of the Cumberland Road raids, in which a 25-year-old man, a 17-year-old male and a woman in her 20s were arrested.

Jamal Daoud, who was part of the crowd and who spoke to the family of the arrested trio, said the three had reacted to what they believed was rough treatment of their mother by a female officer inside the house during the raid.

A male police officer was hit in the face during the raid and was taken to hospital to have his wound stitched. He was later released.

"[The treatment of the family] is what sparked the crowd to get outside the home," Mr Daoud, who is a member of the Social Justice Network, said.

Mr Daoud said residents were also angry that police raided homes as families, who are observing Ramadan, were breaking their fast.

"The police can handle these issues more sensitively," he said.

But Ms Simms said Auburn police were doing the best they could, and comprised officers from a range of ethnic backgrounds.

Detective Chief Superintendent McKay said police were attacked at one of the houses when they first entered, but denied the operation was culturally insensitive.

The raids occurred at the time of Iftar, when the Muslim residents were coming together to break the daily fast they undertake during the month of Ramadan.

"A lot of people like to use excuses for their behaviour - there's a way to solve that: don't commit crime," Detective Chief Superintendent McKay said.

"This is NSW. We have laws in this state we must all abide by and these people have to abide by the same laws."

A friend of the family said a woman was struck with a baton by a policewoman during the raid.

"I don't know of that. A lot of our actions were videotaped by us. If that was the case, there are many avenues for people to complain [through] and the matter will be investigated,'' Detective Chief Superintendent McKay said.

"The majority of the community, including the Middle Eastern community, are behind police trying to get [offenders] out. We all just want them out of the area."

The 25-year-old man from the Cumberland Road house was charged with wounding a police officer and assaulting and resisting police.

He was refused bail and will face Burwood Local Court today.

The 17-year-old was charged with assaulting police, resisting arrest and hindering police.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/ramadan-raids-response-to-shooting-20090909-fg9z.html?autostart=1

from your quote, this part is pertinant ...


Quote:

..........Mr Daoud, who is a member of the Social Justice Network, said. Mr Daoud said residents were also angry that police raided homes as families, who are observing Ramadan, were breaking their fast. "The police can handle these issues more sensitively," he said. But Ms Simms said Auburn police were doing the best they could, and comprised officers from a range of ethnic backgrounds. Detective Chief Superintendent McKay said police were attacked at one of the houses when they first entered, but denied the operation was culturally insensitive. The raids occurred at the time of Iftar, when the Muslim residents were coming together to break the daily fast they undertake during the month of Ramadan. "A lot of people like to use excuses for their behaviour - there's a way to solve that: don't commit crime," Detective Chief Superintendent McKay said. "This is NSW. We have laws in this state we must all abide by and these people have to abide by the same laws."...

what's the bet jamal daoud is a leftard or a muslim ?
thank god we have the AUST police who uphold the law.
Coppers - thanks , and NEVER give an INCH to muslims.
Would you not come into my home if it were easter ?

Facebook used to organise Auburn racial riot - police

The Daily Telegraph

September 14, 2009 12:01am
Mike Gallacher / Chris Hyde

Opposition Police spokesman Mike Gallacher claims Facebook was used to organise a riot. Picture: Chris Hyde

   * Facebook used to rally rioters, police say
   * Muslims "called to fight unbeliever police"
   * Facebook not covered by laws on texting

A RIOT by Muslim youths in the western Sydney suburb of Auburn last week was organised via Facebook, police believe.

The troublemakers used the social networking site to flash up inflammatory references to police and rally their friends for a confrontation.

One update identified police as "non-believers" who were raiding a "brother's home".

More than 150 people gathered in Cumberland Road, Auburn, on Tuesday night, forcing police to call in 100 officers, the riot squad and a helicopter.

The tense stand-off came after Middle Eastern organised crime squad police raided four homes.

Opposition Police spokesman Mike Gallacher's office revealed one of the Facebook updates read: "Kefeirs raiding brother's house, everyone get down hier (sic)!!"

A spokesman for Mr Gallacher said the term used to describe the police had become a slang Arabic term used to describe non-believers.
Related Coverage

   * Facebook: 'Authentic friends only'
   * Ramadan raid raises tensionsThe Australian, 10 Sep 2009
   * Drug raid police officers ' hit mother'Daily Telegraph, 10 Sep 2009
   * Facebook can't touch us: uSocialAustralian IT, 4 Sep 2009
   * Protesters rally outside Chinese embassyNEWS.com.au, 7 Aug 2009
   * Facebook 'violates privacy law'NEWS.com.au, 17 Jul 2009

Mr Gallacher said laws preventing the use of a mobile to call or text others to incite a riot failed to cover social networking sites such as Facebook.

"I don't think it is an intentional move by people to get around the law -- it is the way a lot of younger people contact one another and it would appear there is a loophole in the law," he said.

"Using Facebook and Twitter and modern technology gives a quicker way of getting messages out to a larger number of people."

Detective Chief Superintendent Ken McKay said the Middle Eastern organised crime squad was looking into phone communication and would expand the investigation to Facebook.

He said regardless of the laws covering the means of communication, the police could still identify and pursue those responsible for Facebook messages.

"If you incite a riot it doesn't matter by which means, how you do that is somewhat irrelevant," Supt McKay said.

And he said he was concerned by the general lack of respect young people from all backgrounds have for authority.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Attorney-General John Hatzistergos also said current laws could be applied, adding: "There is a range of serious offences where people call on others to riot or commit other offences via mobile phone or the internet."

http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,26067235-5014239,00.html