Prominent Melbourne Askan Rabbi Joseph Gutnick (AKA: Diamond Joe) has been named for the second time as the target of a terrorist assassination plot. A French court last week heard that Rabbi Gutnick’s name was listed in a notebook filled with coded messages belonging to terror suspect Willie Brigitte.
The court heard that the notebook, found in Brigitte’s home in the Sydney suburb of Lakemba, also contained the names of Jemaah Islamiah spiritual leader Abu Bakar Bashir and Jack Roche, who is serving a nine-year jail sentence for conspiring to blow up the Israeli embassy in Canberra.
But Rabbi Gutnick vowed he would not allow the latest revelations to affect his lifestyle, and said he had no immediate plans to increase his personal security. “I’m not going to allow individuals like these two to dictate my life,” Rabbi Gutnick told the AJN from New York this week.
“It is concerning that my name has been brought up again by unsavoury individuals it’s not a pleasant thing to know that you’re on such a list. But we move forward and do what we can in regards to security and get on with our lives.”
Roche said in his 2004 trial that Rabbi Gutnick was the target of an al-Qaeda plot to attack Jewish interests in Australia. Rabbi Gutnick said he was in regular contact with national security agencies, including ASIO, and federal and state police, whom he praised for their vigilance in monitoring potential security threats.
Asked whether he would increase his personal security detail in light of the revelations in the Brigitte case, Rabbi Gutnick said: “Not at the moment. If the AFP would say they have a serious concern, I would, but that’s not the situation now.
“But the mere fact that something like this happens is concerning, and it’s concerning that there are still individuals in Australia and Melbourne who are full of this hate and disgraceful behaviour, but they are all being monitored.”
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24 Responses
I wonder if Al Queda has him on their list because he is a wealthy Jew or because he is a chossid ( Notice the Mussar I have taken from the YW Editor SHLI”TA, and I did not write “Lubavitcher”)
I dont understand how lebavitch is a bad thing?
Daas Torah: I don’t think AQ discerns the difference between a chossid and any other Jew. A Jew is a Jew in their eyes (maybe WE should take a mussar haskel from THEM on this).
To Daas Torah:
“YW Editor SHLI”TA, and I did not write “Lubavitcher”
You mean the Lubavitcher who gave over MILLIONS of dollars to Lakewood, Mir, and every other Litvishe Yeshiva in the world?
Just wondering.
Yweditor: You mean the Lubavitcher who gave over MILLIONS of dollars to Lakewood, Mir, and every other Litvishe Yeshiva in the world?
He did? Every other yeshiva?? Hu?
Where does one apply for that???
Besides Telsh Chicago, Velvil.
I just enjoy a “Yiddishe” sense of humor. Keep it up guys.
The world news is depressing enough, humor can get you Olam Habah (see Taanis daf something) The rest of you, lighten up once in a while, Lubavich is doing very well whatever we think about it. 🙂
He was targeted for his avodas hakodesh in Israel, the Gutnick center in Chevron, the schools dedicated by him for baalai tsheva.
There are many frum & wealthy Jews to target, he is TARGETED for his Israel connections.
This is the big Lubavitcher baal tzedaka that singlehandedly supports all their yeshivos. But, I don’t think he has given anything to any other yeshiva. He will only give to Lubavitch.
Gutnick has not been in a position to support anyone in quite a number of years. Most of his wealth was on paper, and much of it has evaporated since his heyday in the mid-90’s.
As for the terror plot, he is singled out because of his work for Lubavitch against surrender of land in EY. I believe Isi Liebler, who is more modern and is an outspoken Zionist, was also targeted at one time.
To anon-Actually they have security around his kever for a while now because of the death threats he received..
just read the original article, it does strike me funny… why YW edited the word Chabad out of the article?
I know for a fact that Gutnick has supported non-chabad Yeshivos, Kollels and individuals in Australia and elsewhere. Many types of Gedolim travel to Australia ($2000), mostly to see Gutnick.
I am told that he commited to 10% of any of Reichman’s (previous) annual donations.
Tremendous baal tzadaka, to any and all tzedakas.
Most of us, will donate our tzadaka to modos & organizations that are close to our heart, so does he and even more. Terrorists target him for his continuously work in building up Eretz Yisroel, he is involved with mosdos in the old city also.
To the editor,
It’s interesting how you’ve left out a couple of comments which I put in but you put in comments like those of anon and Abi meleibt. It’s very nice that you won’t put loshon horo on the site put your a two faced weasel by putting those comments on. How about you post this comment and then explain yourself and your stance ??
To ChillOut:
Read the rules HERE
To ChillOut- CHILL OUT.
so you call yourself “chillout”.
hmmmmmmmmm
If I remember correctly Rav Yeruchim Olshin, R”Y of Lakewood flew out there a number of years ago because BMG was getting money from him.
People have short memories
Also, it should be noted that R’ Gutnick was specifically instructed by the Lubavitcher Rebbe ZYA to support institutions belonging to various communities other than his own. He was known to have supported Gur and Boyan in EY and Adass in Australia. I was not in the US when he was most active and do not know who he supported here at that time.
To Rochel Weissberger, i know him personally as well as him giving millions to other mosdos not just lubavitch dont judge till you know more info!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YW Editor:
I can see how you cracked down on silly kindergarten comments. If this is the good version then vey iz mir. Check some of the comments here, you must’ve missed them.
Gutnick Supported Gerrrer Mesivta in Boro Park until a few years ago, when fell on hard financial times. He gave $100,000 a month. I know this from a very reliable source. Because Gutnick stopped giving, the Gerrer Mesivta is no longer an independent Mossad, & ands it’s now under the ICHUD, which is the gerrer Umbrella Group for the many Gerrer Mosdos. (there are 2, one for Israel & one for USA). You can longer make any donations to any specific gerrer mossad. You must donate to the ICHUD or IGGUD and they spend the money as they choose. Naturally, most of the mosdos who were able to successfully fundraise on their own, held off from the IGUD because they didn’t want to be bossed around. The Gerrer Mesivta was the last one in america to be independent. After Gutnick stopped giving the Rabbeim weren’t paid for 3 months & they were forced to join the IGUD (or ICHUD, i get confused which one if for israel & which one is USA)
To Chillout: The reason I haven’t had any of my comments rejected and were posted-is beacuase i don’t joke around on other peoples’ expense, nor do i poke fun @ rabbonim and serious issues…thus following the guidelines.