By Bonny Burrows
Islamic State threat risks being overstated says expert…
A leading terrorism expert has said that domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse are far more serious threats than Islamic State.
Professor Greg Barton’s comments come after remarks by La Trobe MP Jason Wood last week that the threat of IS terrorism cells in the Officer, Beaconsfield and Gembrook area was of “real concern”.
The Deakin University academic said that while he knows of the attempted radicalisation of Muslims in the Dandenong and Springvale areas, there was no cause for undue alarm.
Speaking to the Gazette on 17 October, Professor Barton said that while experts had seen attempted radicalisation of young people extend further out across the South-East, locals shouldn’t be scare of their multicultural neighbours.
“We’re dealing with tiny minorities,” Professor Barton said.
“This is a very small fraction. We have hundreds of thousands of migrants working, raising families, assimilating with the community, just getting on with their lives.”
It was this assimilation, he said, that was the antidote to radicalisation.
Australia had “probably gone as far as we can”, in pre-emptive terrorism legislation and polices, he argued.
Now it was time to work with the community and people at risk.
He said Islamic State had attempted to recruit school children and adults up to 29 years old.
Professor Barton described the method used to radicalise a young person as ‘grooming’ and said it involved an older person gaining another’s trust through “fake friendship”.
“It’s the power of deception. Those targeted are often isolated from the community, from social engagement and (when they see someone trying to friend them) they want it to be true, to believe it’s real and genuine,” he said.
The professor said that by maximising social connection and engagement of those at risk, the likelihood of radicalisation was reduced.
In simple terms, he said communities should welcome, not shun their Muslim members out of fear.
He stressed South-East Melbourne was safe from terrorism.
“Melbourne is not a breeding ground for terrorists,” the professor said.
Despite this, he acknowledged that threats of terrorism were, unfortunately, a new norm across the globe.
“Terrorism is an evolving threat, one that’s not going to go away for decades to come, but it’s one of the lesser threats we face,” Professor Barton said.
“It’s something we need to pay attention to but you need to put it into context.”
Mr Wood was contacted by the Gazette to elaborate on his comments, but as of Tuesday morning he had not responded.
