The Red-Capped Prophet

Cop this lot, from last night's 7:30 Report.

OBRIEN: ".....we'll take the opportunity to talk also about Abu Bakr. John Howard, what we've just heard Abu Bakr say is lawful in this country. He's quite open that he's teaching those views to young Muslim students in Australia, some of whom might have gone on to terrorist training camps. Should you, the Government, do more to monitor and control someone like this man than you're already doing, or are you satisfied with the laws as they govern his words and actions?

JOHN HOWARD, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: Kerry, I'm in a slightly difficult position in relation to this. It's obvious from what that man has said that he is a person of interest to the relevant Government agencies and I don't want to say anything which might in some way be construed as prejudicing any future situation. I don't know whether that's going to arise or not , but I've been in this chair long enough to know the care that one must exercise. As to the generality of everybody who lives in this country being required to accept the norms and the values of this country, let me state this, that the notion that you can be subject to two laws is a notion I reject. It goes against the very basis of our secular society. As a wholly inadequate member of the Christian religion let me say that I don't regard myself as being subject to two laws. I regard myself as an Australian being subject to the laws of this country. And I think suggestions that there is an exclusivity of religious belief in this country is against the values we hold. And I think it's also very unfair and damaging to those hundreds of thousands of Muslim Australians who share my view and I'm sure the view of the millions of your viewers or hundred of thousands of your viewers that we should respect other religious and we should try and live in tolerance and harmony in this country. Now I hope you will understand where I stand in relation to views that would be different from the ones I've just expressed but I do have to be rather circumspect in relation to a particular person. Now as far as future changes are concerned, we are examining what, if any, changes should be made to the law. And I had a detailed briefing from senior people in my department about that this afternoon. And I'll be having something more to say about it very shortly. "

Fuck me....talk about weasel words. Makes Kim seem like a mute.