Given the state of journalism these days, I see no reason to doubt this. Belal Khazaal Update: “Alleged jihad writer ‘was a journalist,'” by Margaret Scheikowski for AAP, August 25 (thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist):
POLICE did not check information that a man, accused of producing a book promoting jihad terrorist acts, was a journalist, a Sydney jury has heard.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) case officer Dale Redfern today said he knew of intercepted emails referring to Belal Saadallah Khazaal as being a journalist.But he told the New South Wales Supreme Court jury the AFP did not conduct any investigation to determine whether this was true.
Mr Khazaal’s barrister, George Thomas, then tendered a membership card, in Mr Khazaal’s name, for the NSW branch of the Australian Journalists Association, valid until December 31, 2004.
Mr Khazaal, of Lakemba in Sydney’s south-west, has pleaded not guilty to knowingly making, in September 2003, a document connected with assistance in a terrorist act.
He has also denied attempting to incite the commission of a terrorist act.
The book is titled: Provisions on the rules of jihad – short judicial rulings and organisational instructions for fighters and mujahideen against infidels.
Mr Khazaal is said to have caused the book, written in Arabic, to be posted on a website, www.almagdese.com, in 2003….
Mr Redfern was present during the search and agreed Mr Khazaal had an extensive library of books, videos and audio tapes – which he said certainly numbered in the hundreds and possibly in the thousands.
The room also contained computer equipment, a desk, photocopier and other items, while books and similar materials also were present in other rooms.
Mr Redfern said on the face of it, most of the material appeared to be Islamic….
You don’t mean it! I thought he was a Methodist!