Islamist Terrorists recruiting for Iraq in Sydney

Sydney supporters of al-Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, have tried to encourage Australian Muslims to 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....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....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....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.