"...extreme Islamists...left is seriously into denial..."

Leaders right to censure radicals
February 28, 2006

"It is ignorant to dismiss talk of the risk from extreme Islamists in our midst, writes Gerard Henderson.
Revolutionaries deserve to be taken seriously. If radical Islamists say they want to overthrow Western democracies and establish sharia law, they should be regarded as being serious, unless the contrary is proven. The potential problem in Australia should not be exaggerated but nor should it be ignored. The conservative Howard Government has taken a similar stance to Tony Blair's social democratic government in Britain. It is only the left in both countries which is seriously into denial and which rails against discussion of a genuine social issue."

Gerard Henderson is executive director of the Sydney Institute.