The chief Muslim authority of Australia Sheikh Taj el-Din Al Hilaly is facing calls for a police investigation after he called for Jihad against Israel on a recent trip to Lebanon.
In a sermon at the Al-Quds mosque while on a visit to Sidon, Lebanon on February 13th, Al-Hilali, the Mufti of Australia and New Zealand, called for Jihad against Israel and saying, "The war waged by the U.S. and Israel against the Muslims is a cruel war aimed at annihilating the [Islamic] nation."
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) translated the Muslim leader’s statements, which were then publicized by the Australian press leading to condemnations by politicians across Australia’s political spectrum. The mufti's Sydney spokesman, Keysar Trad, attacked MEMRI calling it, "a right-wing think tank with connections to the Israeli lobby and military intelligence."
Australian Prime Minister John Howard scolded the Grand Mufti in a recent statement, leading to the Sheikh’s denial of the entire affair in a radio interview. "He has behaved with incredible insensitivity towards the feelings of many Australians," Howard said.
A spokesman for Australia’s Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, said that the Police would look into the oversees activities of Sheikh Al-Hilali and then decide whether to initiate a formal investigation.
"Meeting Hezbullah is probably not the most prudent thing to do," Ruddock's spokesman said. "If his comments about violence are as reported, that would be of concern."
Australian PM Howard also said that if the reports of Sheikh Al-Hilali's comments were in fact false, he is now being given an opportunity to repudiate them. "But if they have been made he deserves to be unconditionally condemned," Howard said. "Incitement to jihad against the state of Israel is utterly unacceptable coming from the leader of any community in this country."
Sheikh Al-Hilali, who is still in Egypt, was interviewed on an Australian Arabic language radio program. Journalist Majida Abboud-Saab, who interviewed Sheikh Al-Hilali in Arabic, said he had denied calling for a jihad in Lebanon this week and that "he didn't support suicide bombing.” Abboud-Saab said Al-Hilali affirmed his support for Hezbullah but said he did not intend to incite hatred towards the West. His trip to Lebanon was for "charitable" purposes.
Following a meeting with Hizbullah terror-chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, Sheikhh Al-Hilali said: "I blessed Hizbullah for liberating the prisoners and the bones of the Shahids [martyrs] and I praised it and its sacrifice. Hizbullah has become a model for all the Mujahideen [those engaging in holy way] in the world… Most of the Australian people do not support the policy of the Australian government, which has placed Hizbullah on the terror list out of submission to the U.S., and the Australian prime minister will pay the price for this in the next elections…"
The president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, Dr. Ameer Ali, told an Australian newspaper that Sheikh Al-Hilali could not possibly "hold such radical views" because he is a "very moderate Islamic leader."
In a sermon at the Al-Quds mosque while on a visit to Sidon, Lebanon on February 13th, Al-Hilali, the Mufti of Australia and New Zealand, called for Jihad against Israel and saying, "The war waged by the U.S. and Israel against the Muslims is a cruel war aimed at annihilating the [Islamic] nation."
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) translated the Muslim leader’s statements, which were then publicized by the Australian press leading to condemnations by politicians across Australia’s political spectrum. The mufti's Sydney spokesman, Keysar Trad, attacked MEMRI calling it, "a right-wing think tank with connections to the Israeli lobby and military intelligence."
Australian Prime Minister John Howard scolded the Grand Mufti in a recent statement, leading to the Sheikh’s denial of the entire affair in a radio interview. "He has behaved with incredible insensitivity towards the feelings of many Australians," Howard said.
A spokesman for Australia’s Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, said that the Police would look into the oversees activities of Sheikh Al-Hilali and then decide whether to initiate a formal investigation.
"Meeting Hezbullah is probably not the most prudent thing to do," Ruddock's spokesman said. "If his comments about violence are as reported, that would be of concern."
Australian PM Howard also said that if the reports of Sheikh Al-Hilali's comments were in fact false, he is now being given an opportunity to repudiate them. "But if they have been made he deserves to be unconditionally condemned," Howard said. "Incitement to jihad against the state of Israel is utterly unacceptable coming from the leader of any community in this country."
Sheikh Al-Hilali, who is still in Egypt, was interviewed on an Australian Arabic language radio program. Journalist Majida Abboud-Saab, who interviewed Sheikh Al-Hilali in Arabic, said he had denied calling for a jihad in Lebanon this week and that "he didn't support suicide bombing.” Abboud-Saab said Al-Hilali affirmed his support for Hezbullah but said he did not intend to incite hatred towards the West. His trip to Lebanon was for "charitable" purposes.
Following a meeting with Hizbullah terror-chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, Sheikhh Al-Hilali said: "I blessed Hizbullah for liberating the prisoners and the bones of the Shahids [martyrs] and I praised it and its sacrifice. Hizbullah has become a model for all the Mujahideen [those engaging in holy way] in the world… Most of the Australian people do not support the policy of the Australian government, which has placed Hizbullah on the terror list out of submission to the U.S., and the Australian prime minister will pay the price for this in the next elections…"
The president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, Dr. Ameer Ali, told an Australian newspaper that Sheikh Al-Hilali could not possibly "hold such radical views" because he is a "very moderate Islamic leader."