Police have charged the animals who attacked the media outside the courtroom in Melbourne.

FIVE men allegedly involved in a brawl with media outside the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court have been charged with affray.

They are alleged to be the men filmed attacking media waiting outside the court last Tuesday while suspects from the counter-terrorism raids were inside.

Don’t know abaout ‘alleged’ Millions saw their dog pack actions. All five were charged with affray and other assault-related offences that could land them in the slammer for 5 years or more.

Good idea. Let them suffer before we deport them to the land of their fathers.

An anonymously phoned in bomb threat will stop all bus and train services in Brisbane for the second time today.

BUS, train and ferry services in Brisbane were stopped this morning and passengers evacuated after an anonymous caller made threats against the city’s public transport network. Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said this afternoon that the threat would cause all bus and train services in Brisbane to be suspended again between 4.45pm and 5.15pm (AEST) this afternoon.

Mr Beattie said the Government was being “over-cautious” about the threatening phone calls.

Dana Vale is starting to lose me. First she comes up with the crazy idea of a Gallipoli Theme Park on the Mornington Peninsular and now she’s wants Hicks brought back from Guantonamo Bay.

Former veterans affairs minister Danna Vale said today she had asked Prime Minister John Howard to lobby US President George W Bush for Hicks’ release.
She says the Australian’s rights are being denied.

If she had half a brain she would’ve realized her faux pas when Hicks senior and Bob Brown agreed.

Hicks’ father Terry and Greens Senator Bob Brown say they hope Ms Vale’s comments will lead to public support for his release from other Coalition MPs.

I can understand Hicks senior going along with it but if I ever said something that Bob Brown agreed with I’d book myself in for retraining

Dana Vale might like to consider that option as well.

I’m sure glad she isn’t running Veteran Affairs any more. Marvelous, isn’t it? One second rate back bencher makes a comment and it’s all over the news with Howard and/or Downer having to waste time and say no! It’s not happening……remember, we said so before…..nothing has changed.

Back in your box.

Meanwhile from the UK comes bad news for Hicks and good news for the rest of us.

NSW and Victorian police have made arrests preempting a terrorist attack. I’ve just watched the news conference and had to smile at the journalists repeated questioning aimed at getting Commissioner Moroney to say Howard forced the police hand by his statement about possible, imminent terrorist attacks.

Please say Howard forced your hand. Please say Howard was wrong. Please…pretty please!

The Commissioner didn’t bite.

Nine men have been charged in Melbourne with terrorism related offences and seven were being held in Sydney after a joint counter-terrorism strike in the two states this morning.

Cleric arrested as well

ONE of the nine men arrested in anti-terrorism raids across Melbourne overnight was the outspoken Melbourne Muslim cleric Abu Bakr, his lawyer said today.

Residents shocked at terror raids in South west Sydney

Residents of Renown Avenue, Wiley Park, described their shock at being woken by armed police raiding a single-storey brick home nearby.

And predictably, a junior journalist was dispatched to find someone who thought they were good people.

Ms Beyrouthy said she believed several families lived in the raided home, and she had often seen them in the street.

“I am surprised (about the raid),” she said.

“I see a lot of people in there (and) they’re very good people.

“We’ve never had any problems with them.”

TREASURER Peter Costello has indicated last week’s amendment to federal anti-terrorism laws was directly related to raids today on homes in Sydney and Melbourne targeting terrorist suspects.

AFP confirms 15 held after raids

Commissioner Moroney says ‘Someone has been shot at Green Valley’ The SMH has a link Man shot in western Sydney

The Age obviously made a typo when they let this positive Howard statement through

Victoria Police chief commissioner Christine Nixon said the raids were connected to comments last week by Prime Minister John Howard regarding a “specific” terror threat.

But manage to quote a lawyer to balance the issue and reflect The Age’s point of view;

However, a lawyer acting for six people in Sydney described the prosecutions as “political and a great shame on this country”.

I think you will find the public will describe the prosecutions as a positive step in the war against terror and will feel just a bit of pride and relief in that our political leaders had the sense to amend laws to allow police to act prior to the event rather than have to play catchup after Australians have been killed.

I particularly like the fact that Abu Bakr was also arrested.

Altogether a good mornings work. We should thank the police and the politicians who had the stamina to pursue the terror bills passage through parliament inspite of all the left wing carping.