1. The first paragraph of a news article should answer the questions who, what, where and when. List the who, what, where and when of this news item. (NOTE: The remainder of a news article provides details on the why and/or how.)

2. What was the specific purpose of this particular terrorist plot?

3. How many “Australians” have joined Islamist terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria; how many are actively supporting Islamic State (ISIS) from inside Australia?

4. What caused Australian authorities to raise the terror threat level from medium to high for the first time ever last week?

5. What Brisbane business was raided last week, leading to charges against two men believed to be recruiting jihadist militants to fight in Syria?

6. What has the Australian government recently done that enabled authorities to confiscate the passports of most of the 15 suspects (men?) arrested in Thursday’s raid?

7. Read the “Background” below on Muslim reaction in Australia to the discovery of the Islamic State plot to murder/behead random Australian citizens. What do you think their reaction should be?

8. U.S., U.K., Australian and European leaders and media rarely refer to terrorists as Muslim or even Islamic, instead most just use the term “Isil.” Why do you think this is so? Are they afraid? don’t want to offend? willfully ignorant? completely naive? Explain your answer.

9. Most of these “Australian” “British” “American” “European” Islamic terrorists are first generation immigrants. The one who ordered this attack is described as an “Australian” Islamist. Officials from Western governments, as well as the media are very careful about how they refer to these Islamists. Or in President Obama’s case say they are not Muslims. Do you think these terrorists consider themselves “American” or “Australian” or “British” or do they consider themselves “Islamic” only? Explain your answer.

10. Are Western governments (including the U.S.) using common sense to protect citizens from the threat of Islamic terrorists? How should governments address this growing problem? Consider and discuss the following:

1. The media reports that the Australian government is concerned about the number of its citizens fighting jihad in other countries and concerned about when these men return to Australia - what they would do. What type of law should Congress enact in the U.S. to address the growing problem of Islamists recruiting Muslims for jihad in our own cities?
2. Should Muslims with Australian, U.S. or other citizenship, who are known to go to Syria, etc. to wage jihad be permitted to return to these countries or should their passports and citizenship or visas be revoked?
3. Should the U.S. put a temporary hold on immigration from predominantly Muslim countries?
4. Should Congress enact a temporary hold on granting citizenship to these immigrants currently in the U.S.?