{"id":4807,"date":"2013-06-11T13:46:59","date_gmt":"2013-06-11T03:46:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nofibs.com.au\/?p=4807"},"modified":"2022-05-02T00:35:21","modified_gmt":"2022-05-01T14:35:21","slug":"security-storm-surrounds-convicted-egyptian-asylum-seeker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/security-storm-surrounds-convicted-egyptian-asylum-seeker\/","title":{"rendered":"Security storm surrounds convicted Egyptian asylum seeker"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Panorama

Panorama of completed banner: 55 silhouettes for the 55 refugees in ASIO immigration detention limbo. Photo credit Takver<\/p><\/div>\n

by\u00a0Kevin Rennie<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: Global Voices Online<\/a><\/p>\n

June 11, 2013<\/p>\n

Accusations of \u2018jihadist terrorism\u2019 against an Egyptian asylum seeker have fuelled political brawling in the lead up to Australia\u2019s election on 14 September 2013. Sayed Abdellatif was kept in low security detention for nearly a year despite an Interpol red alert for convictions during the Mubarak regime in 1999.<\/p>\n

The Opposition parties\u2019 election promises include turning back refugee boats and increasing funding to the intelligence and security agencies. Prime Minister Julia Gillard has responded by setting up an\u00a0internal inquiry<\/a>into the apparent security failure.<\/p>\n

Stories abound about alleged terrorist Sayed Ahmed Maksoud Abdellatif. Some involve accusations of involvement with\u00a0al-Qaida funding<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Others present a more positive side. On 14 February 2012 IRIN a non-profit news service funded by UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs painted a much more\u00a0heroic portrait<\/a>\u00a0of the refugee. He was in Indonesia preparing to take a dangerous boat trip:<\/p>\n

Egyptian asylum-seeker Sayed Ahmed Abdellatif, married with six children, says he is ready to risk everything to reach Australia \u2013 even his family.<\/p>\n

\u2026for 41-year-old Abdellatif, who faces possible extradition and a 15-year prison sentence of hard labour in Egypt for his religious affiliations, the risk is worth it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Australia\/Pacific Correspondent for Reuters\u00a0Rob Taylor<\/a>\u00a0tweeted:<\/p>\n

\u200f@ReutersTaylor<\/a>: Egypt’s Sayed Ahmed Abdellatif was so \u201cdangerous\u201d that his story was profiled by the UN as a hard luck story<\/a>!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ian Rintoul of the\u00a0Refugee Action Coalition Sydney<\/a>\u00a0also disputes the case against Abdellatif:<\/p>\n

A refugee advocate has called for the Opposition Immigration Minister, Scott Morrison to end his \u201cterrorism\u201d witch-hunt, and for the government to investigate the leaking of information by the Australian Federal Police.<\/p>\n

Claims that \u2018a convicted murderer\u2019 has been held in low security immigration facilities are simply not true. This asylum seeker has never been convicted of murder or any specific terrorism charges.<\/p>\n

Scott Morrison\u2019s vendetta against ASIO and the Labor government is leading to a \u2018trial by media\u2019 of an Egyptian asylum seeker whose claims for protection have still not been considered by the Immigration Department.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

On the other hand, Vietnam veteran Kev Gillett\u2019s blog has an ex-soldier\u2019s\u00a0warning<\/a>\u00a0that we need to defend our borders:<\/p>\n

Anyone with skin in the game or an interest in Australia\u2019s security have been warning all and sundry that to let people into the country when they come via boats, having destroyed identity papers en route, is dangerous. These boat people are not all they make themselves out to be.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Oz twitterverse has taken up the challenge. After reading\u00a0Doubts about convictions of Egyptian asylum seeker at heart of political storm<\/a>\u00a0by the new Guardian Australia on 7 June,\u00a0Andrew Watson<\/a>\u00a0accused the leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott and his Liberal Party:<\/p>\n

\n

#auspol<\/a> It's reasonable to believe that Sayed Abdellatif is a Hosni Mubarak #patsy<\/a>. http:\/\/t.co\/mSzhEeFXJT<\/a> @TonyAbbottMHR<\/a> #myliberal<\/a><\/p>\n

— Andrew Watson (@Andy_Downunda) June 7, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n