February 09, 2009

(Updated) Australia: Police Blame Arsonists [Forest Fire Jihad?]

Update: Anon in comments gave link to article stating this was apparently planned seven months ago:

AUSTRALIA has been singled out as a target for "forest jihad" by a group of Islamic extremists[Al-Ikhlas Islamic Network], urging Muslims to deliberately light bushfires as a weapon of terror.

US intelligence channels earlier this year identified a website calling on Muslims in Australia, the US, Europe and Russia to "start forest fires", claiming "scholars have justified chopping down and burning the infidels' forests when they do the same to our lands".

UPDATE by Rusty: The al-Ekhlaas forum mentioned in the article is now defunct. Many others have emailed me about this one.

I'm skeptical of the idea that this is the work of jihadis. I suppose we shall see in time.

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To our Aussie readers, stay safe, you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Reporting from Sydney, Australia, and Los Angeles -- At least 130 people have died in howling wildfires in Australia, so fierce that they incinerated people trying to flee in their cars, sent towering walls of flames sweeping through small towns and sparked a new debate over whether homeowners should be allowed to stay to try to protect their property.

Police suspect arson in at least two fires that raged in the eastern part of Victoria state, and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, appearing to fight back tears, called the worst infernos in Australian history "mass murder."

"This is a level of horror that few of us anticipated," he said. Flags around the country were at half-staff.

Firefighters and distraught survivors searching through the scorched rubble of homes and other destroyed buildings discovered more bodies early today, raising the official death toll to 130. Officials feared the number might double.

Video below fold.

Update: Death toll rises to 170

Terrible tragedy.

By Stable Hand at 09:04 AM | |