Terrorism Studies

Saudi Arabian money has entered Australia over many years for the development of mosques, schools, scholarships and clerical studies and for the establishment of 'moderate' Islamic teaching.

Ross Homel, Director of Centre for Ethics, Law and Justice defended monies to Australian Universities saying it was given with 'no strings attached'.

My research has not found a definition for 'moderate' Islam and the comments from Mr Homel are now disproven as a recent newspaper article states that Griffith university 'practically begged' Saudi Arabian Embassy to fund its new centre for Islamic Studies at Griffith University as it is the Saudi 'uni of choice' and (if funded) teaching practice would not be scrutinised.

Saudi Arabia and its Islamic practice of Wahhabism demand a return to the text (ie) Koran, Hadith and Islamic laws.

This is not 'moderate' Islam, but rather a radical ideology funded by 'petro-jihad' money and now firmly in place in Australian universities.

Universities should remain secular and although 'cash strapped' must not be hoodwinked into believing there is no reciprocity required when accepting Saudi funds.

The injection of Saudi funds has destroyed education in Britain, where the Holocaust cannot be studied as it 'offends' Muslims who argue it never occurred in history.

Likewise, Critical Terrorism Studies should call terrorism for what it is: 'insidious, violent hatred against innocent people that is linked and strengthened by fundamentalist and Jihadi ideology. Let us not be 'brainwashed' into believing it is for 'freedom fighters' or justified in any form as retaliation against the West. Terrorism is murderous and extremist and has no place in our society.

Let us not passively  accept others' ideology if it does not co-exist with freedom and democracy. And don\'t be fooled by the 'no strings attached' mantra; in relation to Saudi funding.

In a few years time it will be too late if we wake up and find ourselves dangling by these strings without the freedom of speech, a vote, equality of gender or religion - or indeed a life in an egalitarian nation.