Press Release
Australian Spying on Indonesia Act of Hostility

Documented revelations have shown that Australian intelligence agencies were spying, through Australian embassies in Indonesia, on Indonesian leaders in 2009. The phones of President Yudhoyono, his wife, and many in his inner circle were tapped. Indonesia has recalled its ambassador to Australia and demanded an apology, dismissing Prime Minister Tony Abbott's response to the revelations as inadequate.

It has been known even before this present saga that Australia monitors the Asia Pacific region for the US through local ‘listening posts'. Australia's Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) co-operates with the US National Security Agency (NSA) in its notorious spying activities around the world.

Uthman Badar, media representative of Hizb ut Tahrir Australia, said in this regard,

"The reality of Australian spying on Indonesia belies claims made by the Australian Government that it seeks friendly bilateral relations with Indonesia."

"Australian spying on Indonesia is one from among various forms of Australian neo-colonial intervention in the Muslim world, under the leadership of the United States. We have already seen the more direct and brutal forms of this intervention in the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan."

"We condemn, in the strongest of terms, this act of hostility by the Australian Government and its belligerent intervention in the Muslim world more broadly."

"Prime Minister Tony Abbott's cheap justification of the spying on national security grounds and that ‘all governments gather information' is ridiculous. Would Tony Abbott be okay with his phone being tapped by foreign agencies? His dismissive attitude to the entire affair is indicative of the arrogant stance of western nations towards other nations, one which presumes a right to intervene in the affairs of others."

"We have long maintained that western embassies in the Muslim world are used as means to further the neo-colonial agendas of these nations. The proper response to such intervention is to severely limit the presence and work of these embassies, if not to expel them outright."

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Australia

Contact: Uthman Badar, Media Representative, on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 0438 000 465.