Australia: Men Storm Movie Theater, Screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’

Police in Australia have kicked off an investigation into the storming of a Sydney movie theater by a group of men who screamed “Allahu Akbar” during a night showing.

Four men reportedly took part in the event, which took place at Hoyts Blacktown at Westport shopping mall on Sunday.

Nobody was hurt. The men fled. But movie-goers were understandably on edge.

9News has the story:

“Investigators were told four men yelled comments within two cinemas at the complex causing some concerned patrons to leave the building, a police spokesman told AAP on Tuesday.

“Cinemagoers told News Corp Australia the group of men shouted Allahu Akbar before they fled. One of the cinemas was showing Baywatch.”

Allahu akbar is generally reported as meaning, “God is great.”

But that’s a bit skewed.

The meaning is really “God is greater,” a phrase that’s understood in the Muslim world to mean, Allah is greater than any other god, or Allah is greater than any government.

From Robert Spencer, writing in Breitbart:

“It is the aggressive declaration that Allah and Islam are dominant over every other form of government, religion, law or ethic, which is why Islamic jihadists in the midst of killing infidels so often shout it.

“One primary purpose of shouting is to “strike terror in the hearts of the enemies of Allah.”

“Chief 9/11 hijacker Mohammed Atta made this explicit in his letter to himself before carrying out his jihad mission: “When the confrontation begins, strike like champions who do not want to go back to this world. Shout, ‘Allahu Akbar,’ because this strikes fear in the hearts of the non-believers.” This is why the Fort Hood jihad killer, Nidal Malik Hasan, shouted it as he shot thirteen Americans in November 2009, and why so many other jihadis have used it essentially as an announcement that non-Muslims are about to die.

“But it is also frequently used when no infidels are within earshot. According to Islam, Allah is sovereign and dominant over all things, and controls everything. His control is so absolute he decides if unbelievers reject Islam, according to the Qur’an.“If we had willed, We could have given every soul its guidance,” but instead, “I will surely fill Hell with jinn and people all together.”

“This sovereignty over absolutely everything leads the willing slaves of this god to exclaim “Allahu akbar” in a multitude of apparently contradictory situations:

“‘Allahu akbar’ can be a declaration of joy and gratitude to Allah, as in this video, when the jihadis shout it after shooting down a helicopter, with particular vibrancy when the helicopter bursts into flames. It can also be an expression of grief and anger, as in this video, in which Syrians exclaim it as an airstrike hits their village.”