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Questionable "evidence" for bushfire Jihad

Reader comment on item: Bushfire Jihad

Submitted by JC (Australia), Mar 31, 2009 at 02:24

The statements presented in this article from Australian public servants and al-Qaeda spokespeople are alike in that they provide little, if any, proof that the Victoria fires of 2009 were deliberately lit by jihadist operatives.

While Daryl Williams may have considered that al-Qaeda may use arson as a terrorist weapon is Australia, there is no link between this statement and the fires of 2009. The defence apparatus of all countries considers a plethora of potential threats when putting together contingency plans for a variety of national disasters, both natural and man-made; the fact that they have been considered as potential threats does not automatically transform them into reality.

Fire is a perennial fear in a drought-prone country like Australia, and while it is true that the majority of Australia's most devastating, and lethal, bushfires have historically been the result of arson, you still have presented no proof whatsoever that these fires were explicitly caused by al-Qaeda or any other group. Moreover, the rationale behind "forest jihad" cited in the Melbourne Age was based on claiming responsibility for the crimes as a way to terrorise the larger population. No such thing has happened.

Because of the tenuous links drawn by you and journalists such as Bendle, should we automatically blame future bushfires on Muslim terrorists by the mere fact that they occurred? Are we to backdate your theory, and believe that the 1982 Ash Wednesday first were also the result of Islamofascism having its way in the Outback? While al-Qaeda rejoiced in the deaths caused by the fires, celebration at the death of an enemy is very easy and moreover is not the same as proving culpability; while I am personally sickened that anyone would derive joy from the scenes in Victoria, by the same token I am appalled that anyone would exploit this event as a vehicle for their own political purposes.

Submitting....

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Daniel Pipes replies:

Clearly, not all arson results from jihad; but clearly too, some does. For the police to dismiss this possibility before an investigation and for the media to avoid the topic amounts to a dereliction of duty on both their parts.

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Reader comments (36) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1Australian 2019-2020 bushfires [30 words]JohnJan 3, 2020 22:59257025
Ayman Odeh: "we've never harmed nature!" [182 words]MotkeNov 27, 2016 15:26234335
Find Them and Expel Them [78 words]DaveJul 5, 2015 21:46224069
Pyroterrorism is not very effective. [170 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Michael SJul 5, 2015 12:47224065
1I was also wondering [150 words]AlexandrosOct 9, 2012 07:57199622
In cities over the world [50 words]angelFeb 20, 2012 09:40193515
very alarming [19 words]DavidFeb 6, 2012 04:42193125
Goodness. [24 words]Evan MarkJul 29, 2011 15:08187840
What took them so long? [57 words]JimmyDec 17, 2010 08:00181070
brilliant idea [50 words]Manuel MatamorosJul 15, 2009 17:15158890
good idea? [52 words]stanbFeb 6, 2012 18:00158890
1This is no Bush [147 words]yuval Brandstetter MDJul 7, 2009 00:53158554
1whom you are making lies for ? [114 words]ashraf mohamedDec 22, 2010 17:59158554
1Question for Ashraf [220 words]RajeevDec 23, 2010 01:34158554
1bushfire Jihad [120 words]y Brandstetter MDDec 23, 2010 06:43158554
3Charity starts at home [190 words]dhimmi no moreDec 24, 2010 08:41158554
It is a probablity [194 words]Mary ConnorMay 22, 2009 02:02155969
Bizarre conclusions [138 words]yoyo of ausJul 8, 2009 20:33155969
Bizarre Jihad [99 words]Mary ConnorJul 15, 2009 08:43155969
silly [145 words]yoyo of ausJul 16, 2009 21:50155969
An Unlikely Scenario [76 words]Richard HApr 12, 2009 10:53153779
No surprise [19 words]Phil GreendApr 7, 2009 19:43153532
HYPOCRISY! [34 words]awabnaviApr 14, 2009 09:52153532
Questionable "evidence" for bushfire Jihad [312 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
JCMar 31, 2009 02:24153006
tragic event [47 words]Peter WilliamsMar 30, 2009 04:23152966
1Australian fires not terrorism [171 words]Lorna SalzmanMar 29, 2009 17:06152947
1Not terrorism? [146 words]Doug CorriganMar 30, 2009 20:03152947
Probably not [88 words]BronsonMar 31, 2009 06:59152947
Setting fires to escape "refugee" detention centers... [67 words]J.S.Mar 29, 2009 15:36152941
3No more migrants, please! [271 words]wendy hillMar 28, 2009 08:20152881
Wendy, Wendy, Wendy [350 words]SarahJan 18, 2010 16:55152881
Bushfire Jihad in Australia? [31 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
JamesMar 28, 2009 06:26152878
The "politically" correct mentatilty of the world seeks to turn a blind eye to Islamic Terror. [94 words]John DavisMar 27, 2009 13:18152855
Propaganda by Jihadists [174 words]KshatriyaMar 27, 2009 10:04152850
Crackpots [147 words]BronsonMar 27, 2009 04:38152837
The evil of men's hearts [119 words]Rebecca MouldsMar 28, 2009 16:31152837

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