Everybody in Sydney, Brisbane and the rest of Australia woke to an inundation of reports this morning (18^th September 2014). These reports were enforcing that the Australian police force had cracked down on and broken through Islamic threats by raiding the homes of terror suspects within unsuspecting neighborhoods throughout Sydney and Brisbane. One news presenter described it as “a day that will make modern Australian history.”


Many people felt relief knowing that the authorities had infiltrated and cracked down these groups that were supposedly supporting ISIL and al-Qaeda in the Middle East, but for many others  fear was the emotion felt. Fear that these alleged “terrorists” were so close to home. Literally. One raid was in the same Sydney suburb of a women I spoke with. Other raids seemed to be in the west and north western suburbs of Sydney, including Marsfield, Guilford, Castle Hill Bella Vista and more. You can even see school children try to get to school in the background when the journalists were reporting from the sites. In Brisbane the alleged terror homes were in the southern suburbs, including Mount Gravatt East, Underwood and Logan.

Major headlines were made regarding accused Sydney terrorist Omarjan Azari, who according to 9news.com.au was allegedly working with Australia's most senior ISIL member and Underbelly actor Mohammad Baryalei to commit acts of terror, including abducting people off the streets of Sydney, such as Martin Place, and decapitating them in a manner similar to the recent ISIL beheadings of US and UK citizens in Syria. Mr Azari allegedly intended to wrap the bodies of victims in ISIL flags and upload video of the murders online, which would help fuel the ISIL terror campaign that has led to the formation of an international coalition to eliminate the group.

Of course there has also been plenty of coverage on government backlash, especially from Prime Minister Tony Abbott. The irony is that he has been speaking on this issue from Arnhem Land, where he is seeing almost 600 military personnel off to assist with the war in Iraq.

Undoubtedly, the quashing of these alleged potential terror attacks is seen as a major victory for the wider Australian community. But what about the Australian civilians who practice the Islamic faith but had nothing to do with these supposed terror attacks. Where does all this leave them? They have been demonised and their identities have been soiled. What is next for them?

On the night of these anti-terror raids, the members of the Islamic community of Sydney called on an urgent protest to express how furious they were about the day’s anti-terror raids. Their slogans were “stop terrorising Muslims” and “raids terrorise women and children.” The signs had small Hizb Ut-Tahrir Australia logos.

The protesters met outside Lakemba train station in Sydney’s west based on the snap action which was organised via social media.

The event was promoted under abanner featuring the hardline organisation Hizb Ut-Tahrir and is calling on the Muslim community to "stand as one" against "government aggression".

The atmosphere was calm with most people arriving and greeting friends and acquaintances before quietly congregating in a little park next to the train station.

"We're not hear to disrupt security," Hizb Ut-Tahrir speaker Uthman Badar told the crowd.

"Muslims are as much concerned about security and peace as everyone else."

He said the raids were about creating the "hysteria" needed to make the Muslim community scapegoats.

An incensed young man who said his mother was punched by police as the family's home was raided that morning yelled at the crowd to "wake up."

"What are you going to do about it? Talk? Seriously? Talk?"

It is hard to tell what is going to happen next as this entire anti-terrorism operation is on going. According to sbs.com.au, this is what we know so far:

• Hundreds have protested in Sydney condemning the raids as anti-Muslim
• 800 federal and state police and ASIO officers raided homes across Sydney this morning (18/09/14).
• 1 man was arrested and 15 others detained. 9 have since been released.
• 25 warrants were executed.
• NSW Police allege a "group" was actively preparing "random attacks" against members of the public.
• Some of those detained are believed to have links with Islamic State.
• More than 70 AFP officers raided homes in southeast Brisbane.
• Both operations are ongoing.