Holy War I: Want to know more about
Hizb’ut Tahrir, the Islamic group being investigated by ASIO to see if it’s a
threat to security or is inciting terrorist behaviour? Hizb’ut has been a topic of furious debate on Harry’s Place, a British
pro-Labour, pro Iraq war blog for a long, long time. Its conclusion: “Hizb’ut Tahrir and
the groups which split from it – including Al Muhajiroun and the Saviour Sect –
are racist promoters of theocracy.” There are plenty of distressing quotes from Hizb’ut here.

Holy War II: Pixie wants God on his side?
After Australia’s two most influential religious conservatives, Cardinal George
Pell and Dr Peter Jensen, expressed concerns on the weekend that the federal government’s industrial relations changes may hurt family life and the working
poor, the PM hit back on Insiders. Now Labor’s leading God-botherer, Kevin Rudd, has bought into the debate in
The Australian.
Is the Almighty doing his numbers?

Hicks strife: Has John Howard painted
himself into a corner sucking up to great and powerful friends over the case of
David Hicks? The Australian terrorist suspect is becoming a martyr because the government
has not secured his right to a fair trial, shadow attorney-general Nicola Roxon
claims.
The general view is that the 2iC in the war on terror, Tony Blair, handled the
issue of his nation’s prisoners in Guantanamo much
better, getting them home without offending Bush. Now, the Australian Defence
Association has made its contribution to the debate. “Unfortunately many recent
comments by Australian jurists and other commentators, however eminent in
domestic law they may be, have not taken due account of the relevant
international law, especially the Laws of Armed Conflict,” the ADA says. “It is
not a simplistic choice between just ‘trying’ Hicks or releasing him.”
More here.

Hawkie gets around: A holidaying Crikey
reader writes: “I don’t have the contacts you do so I wonder if you could pass
on a message for me. I was wandering round the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul two days
ago. As I walked down the street of the leather sellers lots of fellows were
asking me to step inside, take a look and so on. One, hearing my Australian
accent said: ‘You’re an Aussie, g’day mate, owyagoin?’ He asked if I knew Bob
Hawke. I confessed I didn’t. He said Bob had bought two leather jackets from
him and asked me to say hello to him from Sam in the Grand Bazaar. He noted Bob
was a good fella ‘but doesn’t talk very nicely if you know what I mean’.”
Consider the message passed on, Sam.