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AFP raid Islamic bookstore

Australian Federal Police have raided an Islamic centre south of Brisbane, a day after warnings the nation’s terror threat level could be raised.

Police have been photographed outside the iQraa Islamic Centre, in the Logan suburb of Underwood, where two people have reportedly been taken into custody.

Australia could raise threat level

The AFP said a raid had been carried out in Underwood but would not immediately confirm the specific property that was targeted, nor reports of the arrests.

A key figure at the centre, who’s mentioned in a promotional video, is Omar Succarieh.

Last week, The Courier-Mail reported a man, believed to be the brother of Australia’s first suicide bomber in Syria, was running an Underwood bookshop.

A centre Facebook post on September 6 rejected reports it was promoting extremism.

“Islam and this centre does NOT tolerate extremism but not what the disbelievers portray extremism is,” the post read.

“We do not discriminate either, so we have allowed many speakers to come and give lectures and share their views here.”

A photo from the bookstore's Facebook page. Photo: AAP

A photo from the bookstore’s Facebook page. Photo: AAP

Last month, the centre was a signatory to a statement from the wider Muslim community denouncing proposals to strengthen Australia’s counter-terrorism measures.

The Abbott government’s proposed laws will make it easier for authorities to identify, charge and prosecute people who have been engaged in training, fighting or supporting terrorist activities overseas.

The group statement, signed by iQraa and others, described the proposals as “unjust and unjustified”.

“The primary basis of these laws is a trumped up ‘threat’ from ‘radicalised’ Muslims returning from Iraq or Syria,” the statement read.

“There is no solid evidence to substantiate this threat.”

The iQraa Islamic Centre is believed to have hosted a lecture this year on what followers should do if they were contacted by ASIO.

AAP sought comment from the centre on Wednesday but the phone rang out.

Outgoing ASIO chief David Irvine on Tuesday said the spy organisation was actively considered raising Australia’s terror threat level, from medium to high.

There were unconfirmed reports of up to seven raids across Queensland on Wednesday.

Several officers were keeping guard outside the iQraa Islamic Centre on Wednesday afternoon, with others working inside.

Abu Amaan said he was a customer of the centre and described the police attention as “hysteria”.

“It (the raid) is instilling fear in the Muslim community,” he told reporters outside the centre.

He said the owners were “born and bred” in Australia, and the centre had been raided due to anti-Muslim sentiment.

Its advertised services include a gift store, book store, book cafe and Islamic clothing.

Mr Amaan said the centre had hosted all kinds of speakers. “They don’t discriminate,” he said.

But he added: “I don’t really know the guys very well. All I know is it’s pretty harmless. I don’t understand why all the hysteria.”

 

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