Australian Man, Abu Asma al-Australi, Blamed for Syria Car Bomb Explosion, Suicide Bomb Attack

Source: Youtube/Mesopotamianews

An Australian man, known as Abu Asma al-Australi in social media accounts, was suspected of carrying out a suicide bomb attack in Syria in behalf of terrorists.

Images of the alleged bomber with his face intentionally blurred had been circulating the Internet particularly in social media sites as social media users in Australia tried to confirm his identity. News reports also released information that the suspected suicide bomber originally came from Queensland and went to Syria to be with his wife before sending her back home to Australia.

Various jihadist social media accounts refer to the man as "Abu Asma al-Australi" who was dead after a suicide bomb attack in a school where military troops had been assigned in Deir al-Zor.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said the government has been aware of the reports of an Australian suicide bomber in the eastern part of Syria. The Foreign Affairs department also said the Australian government was alarmed at the idea that Australians were fighting in Syria and had ties with the al-Nusrah group which is believed to be supported by al-Qaeda.

The Australian government said the suspected Australian suicide bomber is a matter of intelligence and security. Australia has a longstanding commitment not to comment on security matters.

A video footage was released reportedly after the suicide bombing incident in Syria. The video showed a large cloud of smoke rising up in the air from a distance. ASIO chief David Irvine said that about 200 Australians have allegedly joined the Syrian war earlier in 2013. This confirms that the Australian intelligence agency has been keeping tabs with their international activities.

According to reports, the timing of the attack remains unknown but the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the suicide bomb attack had triggered more conflict in the city.

Clashes between the regular forces and the al-Nusra Front including various rebel forces continue after Abu Asma al-Australi "blew himself up" in a car right where regular forces were stationed. The information was posted in the website of British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

An post in an Islamic news account read: "@AlNusrawi: The martyr who carried out a martyrdom operation in Deir al Zor is Abu Asma' al Ustrali."

The Al Nusrah group made its presence known in Syria in a video released in Jan. 2012. The group has been listed as a terrorist organisation with links to al-Qaeda. Al-Nusrah wants to remove Syria's President Bashar al-Assad from power and install a Sunni Islamist state. The group believes that its actions including the suicide bombings in Damascus were based on what is written in scriptures.