A Sydney lawyer representing six people caught up in the country's massive counter-terrorism operation last week says the Muslim community feels under siege.
Adam Houda described the pre-dawn raids that saw 15 people detained as over the top and accused authorities of treating Muslims as the enemy.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-24/lawyer-adam-houda-says-muslim-australians-are/5764886
"They were raided in pretty intimidating circumstances. They had a lot of their items seized. No questions were asked in relation to any particular offences," he told AM.
"I can tell you that there's no connections at all between my clients and the man that was actually charged with a terrorism offence."
Afghan-born man Omarjan Azari has been charged conspiracy to prepare for a terrorist attack on behalf of Islamic State (IS).
Mr Houda said his clients do not even know the man allegedly involved in a plan to kill a randomly selected person on behalf of IS.
He said no charges had been laid against his clients and questioned the timing of the raids.
"They're somewhat confused – not only the people who were subject to the raids but also their families who were caught up in the raids," he said.
"The raids happen to fall on the day that our troops went to Iraq and also at a time where the Government is trying to pass through the Parliament some very draconian and controversial laws.
"So is that a coincidence? You tell me."
He said the Muslim community is feeling under siege.
"It's alienating them and that's not a good thing," he said.
"I've received, maybe, over 24 calls from different people who have been detained, arrested, interrogated at airports, just moments before they're about to depart on their flight.
"I'm finding that this a very dangerous trend that's occurring not only in Sydney, but also in Melbourne and Brisbane.
"[They are being quizzed about] why are you going to Lebanon and what are you doing in Lebanon and why are you going to Dubai.
"These people, these authorities, they're fully aware that these people were planning on travelling overseas. You could have gone to see them days before, rather than humiliate them and cause them a lot of distress."
He said he is considering a class action for clients who have been detained and interrogated at a number of Australian airports over the past month.
He also wants the New South Wales Police Commissioner to apologise to three men who were picked up by police at an NRL match in Sydney over the weekend.
"In a packed stadium, they were approached by police officers dressed up in riot squad gear and they pointed them out, asked them to come to them, they took them behind the stadium and started interrogating them as to why they were using their phones," he said.
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