"Angry Muslim men have been unmasked" The Daily Telegraph (thanks to Peggy)![]()
Source: The Daily Telegraph
OFFICERS attached to strike force McAllister have identified all 15 of the men whose faces of rage defined Sydney's Muslim protest, charging three of them with serious offences.
The photographs were published on the front page of The Daily Telegraph in the days after the unrest as police attempted to work out why the day turned violent.
Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione has pledged officers will hunt down those responsible for turning Sydney's CBD into streets of violence on Saturday, September 15. Yesterday police said: "There will be further arrests."
Strike force McAllister, set up to investigate the unrest, has so far charged eight men and three youths with 25 offences including assaulting police, affray, rioting, malicious wounding, possessing offensive weapons, throwing missiles including glass bottles and committing an act of cruelty against an animal.
Those charged are predominantly from Sydney's southwest: Punchbowl, Bankstown, Greenacre, Belfield and Padstow.
Among them is former champion boxer Ahmed Elomar, who is alleged to have taken part in the street battles with police.
As well as affray, Elomar, 29, of Denham Court, is also accused of using a flag pole to hit a police officer and is the only one of those charged to be kept in jail after his bail application was last week refused in Central Local Court.
The youngest to be arrested over the protest was a 15-year-old who was issued with a caution for offensive behaviour.
The oldest, aged 43, who featured on The Daily Telegraph's front page, has been charged with riot and resisting police in the execution of their duty.
Police were yesterday continuing to go through photographs, mobile phone footage and video of the demonstrators - many of whom wore "jihad" T-shirts and headbands stating in Arabic "We are your soldiers Mohammed".
"Police have received significant assistance from the public and media organisations in identifying those who have committed offences," a police spokesman said.
"There will be further arrests because of that assistance and we continue to appeal to anyone who has any further information to contact CrimeStoppers.
"Police stress that not all who participated in the protest are guilty of any offence.
"The vast majority of those who turned up found themselves in a situation they never expected."





