Fed: Downer joins call for Sheik Alhilali to go

AAP General News (Australia)
04-09-2007
Fed: Downer joins call for Sheik Alhilali to go

ADELAIDE, April 9 AAP - Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has backed calls for the
sacking of Sheik Taj Aldin Alhilali as leader of Australia's Muslim community, describing
him as a massive embarrassment.

Mr Downer said today Sheik Alhilali had become a completely discredited figure and
the sooner the Islamic community in Australia dealt with him the better.

"Here is a man who travels the world making all sorts of completely absurd and incredible
comments," Mr Downer said.

"This reflects on Australian Muslims and it reflects on Australia.

"This man is a massive embarrassment.

"My view is that he has just got to be removed as the leader of the Islamic community
in Australia and some moderate and reasonable person needs to take his place."

Mr Downer is the latest, and most senior, Australian politician to call for the sheik
to be sacked as mufti.

The calls intensified today after reports he travelled to Tehran and urged Muslims
worldwide to support the Iranian government of Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, whose nuclear ambitions
have raised the ire of the international community.

The mufti's salary was suspended last year after he used a religious address to compare
immodestly dressed women with uncovered meat and suggested they invited sexual assault.

He is also under investigation over allegations that he donated funds collected for
victims of the war in Lebanon to terrorist groups.

Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews said today the cleric should think about leaving
Australia while Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd also called for him to be removed from his
position.

Mr Downer today questioned in what way the cleric was calling on all Muslims to support Iran.

"Is he calling for people to support Iran's nuclear program, is he calling for Iran
to become a nuclear weapons state?" the minister said.

But Mr Downer said it was up to the Islamic community to decide just how to deal with
the controversial cleric.

"They have to make their own decisions about their leadership," he said.

"But I would have thought Sheik Alhilali is not only an embarrassment, he is damaging
the standing of the Muslim community in Australia and beyond.

"This man just stumbles from one absurdity to another and he is humiliating the Australian
Islamic community.

"They need a good and moderate and decent leader and there are plenty of them who could
do the job."

Several Islamic community leaders have spoken out against Sheik Alhilali recently,
complaining that he does not represent their views.

The sheik was also recently accused of failing to account for $47,000 in donations
raised in Australia and earmarked for victims of last year's Israel-Hezbollah war.

It has been reported that after taking charge of the money in Lebanon, the mufti gave
at least $12,400 to a supporter of the Iraqi insurgency, Sheik Bilal Shaaban, to fund
his radio station.

Mr Downer said the Australian Federal Police (AFP) were already investigating some
of the financial activities of Sheik Alhilali and he would leave that investigation to
the AFP.

AAP tjd/jt/de

KEYWORD: SHEIK DOWNER

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