Christians Under Attack

join the insurgency and donate money to the cause.

ASIO is investigating the group and the Iraqi ambassador in Canberra has warned the spy agency needs to get a "grip" on the problem. "It looks like there is group in Australia who are supportive, at least vocally, of the Zarqawi people," Ghanim Taha al-Shibli said.

"You can see them in different places expressing themselves very clearly about what they think."

The Herald has learned of two separate approaches on behalf of the insurgency, including at least one that is under ASIO investigation.

It involves a man who directly approached several Muslims in Auburn about 12 months ago.

"They said come and fight with the mujahideen," said someone present at the incident.

The witness asked to remain anonymous, noting that "ASIO have said not to speak to the media". A senior security source confirmed that ASIO had made inquiries and was building a brief of evidence. ASIO declined to comment.

Another man of Iraqi descent said he had been asked to give money to the insurgents. "I know for a fact that they are raising money. I was sitting in a group when someone approached me and said they were raising money for the freedom fighters in Iraq," he said.

He said that the money was distributed to supporters of Zarqawi through a circuitous route, often disguised as payments to family members back in Iraq. He also said the fund-raiser was a Sunni Muslim and adherent of the strict Wahabi or Salafist form of Islam. "They believe that Shiites are not Muslims. They believe they are apostates, that they are damaging Islam," he said.

Mr al-Shibli told the Herald he had encountered Zarqawi supporters in Australia, most notably at the Auburn polling station during the Iraqi elections last January.

Shots were fired in Auburn several hours after a wild melee between voters and opponents of the US occupation and Iraq's interim government.

"I do hope, and I wish to God that the Australian Government and its intelligence services have a good grip on these people," he said.

Australia's new anti-terrorism laws give authorities greater power to arrest and imprison people for supporting the insurgency in Iraq.

Under the laws, it is a crime to finance or fight for the enemies of Australian troops. Even "urging" support for the insurgency carries a jail term of up to seven years.

Mr al-Shibli backed Australia's tough stance, denouncing Zarqawi and the insurgents as terrorists.

"When people start donating money for those people, when they start having connections with these people, when they start preaching hate, this is when they should be stopped," he said.

Mr al-Shibli said foreign fighters were coming from all around the world to join the Iraqi insurgency, forming an "unholy alliance" with Saddam Hussein loyalists.

"Where do these people get their money from? From abroad. Where do they get their people from? They get them from abroad," he said.

"We can get control of the old regime elements. But these others, the rest of the world has to help us."

join the insurgency and donate money to the cause.

ASIO is investigating the group and the Iraqi ambassador in Canberra has warned the spy agency needs to get a "grip" on the problem. "It looks like there is group in Australia who are supportive, at least vocally, of the Zarqawi people," Ghanim Taha al-Shibli said.

"You can see them in different places expressing themselves very clearly about what they think."

The Herald has learned of two separate approaches on behalf of the insurgency, including at least one that is under ASIO investigation.

It involves a man who directly approached several Muslims in Auburn about 12 months ago.

"They said come and fight with the mujahideen," said someone present at the incident.

The witness asked to remain anonymous, noting that "ASIO have said not to speak to the media". A senior security source confirmed that ASIO had made inquiries and was building a brief of evidence. ASIO declined to comment.

Another man of Iraqi descent said he had been asked to give money to the insurgents. "I know for a fact that they are raising money. I was sitting in a group when someone approached me and said they were raising money for the freedom fighters in Iraq," he said.

He said that the money was distributed to supporters of Zarqawi through a circuitous route, often disguised as payments to family members back in Iraq. He also said the fund-raiser was a Sunni Muslim and adherent of the strict Wahabi or Salafist form of Islam. "They believe that Shiites are not Muslims. They believe they are apostates, that they are damaging Islam," he said.

Mr al-Shibli told the Herald he had encountered Zarqawi supporters in Australia, most notably at the Auburn polling station during the Iraqi elections last January.

Shots were fired in Auburn several hours after a wild melee between voters and opponents of the US occupation and Iraq's interim government.

"I do hope, and I wish to God that the Australian Government and its intelligence services have a good grip on these people," he said.

Australia's new anti-terrorism laws give authorities greater power to arrest and imprison people for supporting the insurgency in Iraq.

Under the laws, it is a crime to finance or fight for the enemies of Australian troops. Even "urging" support for the insurgency carries a jail term of up to seven years.

Mr al-Shibli backed Australia's tough stance, denouncing Zarqawi and the insurgents as terrorists.

"When people start donating money for those people, when they start having connections with these people, when they start preaching hate, this is when they should be stopped," he said.

Mr al-Shibli said foreign fighters were coming from all around the world to join the Iraqi insurgency, forming an "unholy alliance" with Saddam Hussein loyalists.

"Where do these people get their money from? From abroad. Where do they get their people from? They get them from abroad," he said.

"We can get control of the old regime elements. But these others, the rest of the world has to help us."