PM Turnbull Reaches Out To Muslim Community As Sydney Reels From Parramatta Shooting

The Turnbull government has made a concerted effort to reach out to the Muslim community following the shooting of a police employee in Parramatta by a 15-year-old boy.

Arthur Phillip High’s Farhad Khalil Mohammad Jabar shot dead NSW Police accountant Curtis Cheng, 58, on Friday afternoon outside of the police headquarters.

After exchanging fire with three police officers soon afterwards, he was killed.

NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipone explained at a press conference on Saturday morning that the schoolboy's actions were likely “politically motivated and therefore linked to terrorism.”

The news of Farhad Jabar’s actions came as a surprise to those who attended school alongside him. Students spoke with The Australian of his “quiet” demeanour and his basketball prowess. His social media accounts indicated a fascination with The Voice; in particular, the team coached by Ricky Martin.

One student was convinced Jabar would not have been radicalised if it hadn’t been for the intervention of opportunistic and manipulative extremists: “His mind must have been washed by the fake scholars.”

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop shared details of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s “long conversation” with Muslim community leaders over the weekend, which was reportedly conducted in an effort to make Muslim families Australia’s “front line of defence” against the radicalisation of young people.

PM Turnbull’s phone conversation involved New South Wales Premier Mike Baird, NSW deputy police commissioner Cath Burn, NSW Minister for Multiculturalism John Ajaka and cultural leader Dr. Jamal Rifi along with representatives from the Australian Iraqi Muslim Society, the Australian Kurdish Association, the Iraqi Islamic Councils of Australia, the United Muslim Women Association, the Lebanese Muslim Association and the Islamic Council NSW.

According to call participant Dr. Rifi, the role of parents in shepherding young people away from radicalisation was the primary topic of discussion.

"We felt that mums and dads are well-positioned to pick up every sign… but we need to empower them. There is a lot of expertise within the community themselves," he said.

Dr. Rifi also told the Sydney Morning Herald that the consultative tone of the conversation had seemed more genuine than those undertaken under Tony Abbott (who had been criticised for his more antagonistic comments to the Muslim community).

"With previous governments, the community was fighting radicalisation with our hands tied behind our back. After yesterday, I felt like the shackles have come off and we can do our best and we are all positioned to do a lot more and the government is willing to do more," he said.

"The meeting was completely on the contrary to previous efforts in which the consultation was done just in terms of box ticking. [Previously] nothing was taken on board. They would be sitting with us but not hearing us."

Dr. Rifi reiterated the government's message of collaboration to the ABC.

"This hateful ideology of the Islamic State is killing more Australian Muslims than non-Muslim Australians," he said.

"Parents should be alert and right now, our Muslim community parents are very much concerned about the fact that we have been targeted by this hateful ideology, so it is in our interest to work collaboratively."

Labor’s Andrew Leigh told SkyNews that he was impressed by Prime Minister Turnbull’s community-minded approach.

"So many of our allies in foiling terror plots have been moderate Muslims," he said.

"I think Prime Minister Turnbull struck the right note… in acknowledging the importance of working with the moderate Muslim community. We have to be very, very careful about demonising a community of hundreds of thousands of Muslim Australians for the evil of a few hundred aberrant souls."

Yesterday, Curtis Cheng’s son Alpha released a statement on behalf of his mother and sister, thanking those who shared well-wishes in the wake of his father’s death.

“My father was a kind, gentle, and loving person. He was humorous, generous of heart and always put the family first. He has set a tremendous example for us as a family,” the statement read.

“We are deeply saddened and heartbroken that he has been taken from us, but we are truly grateful for the fruitful and happy life he has shared with us.”

Photo courtesy Jayne Azzopardi.