Asia-Pacific News
Australian cleric accused of inciting terrorism "misunderstood"
Jan 19, 2007, 7:30 GMT
Sydney - An Australian cleric who labelled Jews 'pigs' and urged Muslim children to die for their religion Friday claimed he was misunderstood and his remarks taken out of context.
Sheik Feiz Mohammed, head of what he calls the Global Islamic Youth Centre in Sydney, was commenting on the content of video discs for sale in Britain and Australia.
Mohammed, born in Australia but currently in Lebanon, the homeland of his parents, told The Australian newspaper in a telephone interview that he wasn't advocating violence.
'The jihad I speak of is not one of violence,' he told the paper. 'It's one of personal struggle against things like mischievousness, temptation and personal harm.'
In the videos, which allegedly were being sold by children outside mosques in Britain, the cleric says: 'We want to have children and offer them as soldiers defending Islam. Teach them this: There is nothing more beloved to me than wanting to die as a mujahid (holy warrior).'
Mohammed told the paper he regretted calling Jews 'pigs,' saying 'it was not something I should have said and not something I believe.'
Opposition Labor Party leader Kevin Rudd described the content of the videos as an incitement to terrorism and urged the government to prosecute Mohammed.' Police said they had opened an inquiry into the videos.
The government-sponsored Community Relations Commission also called for the cleric to be charged over his recorded comments. 'The public prosecutor, the federal prosecutor, should really have a close look as what is being conveyed by this guy and whether it's in breach of any laws and he should be charged,' commission chairman Stepan Kerkyasharian said.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
Defrocked Well Well ... Its Nice to hear .. The Guy Just said ...
But about who put those very words into action ? Should they be Defrocked or BEHEADED?
Get on With Life...
It is time for the muslim communities to clean up their act.
Part of that is not only to condem such persons once their 'faux-pas' become public. Better yet to expose and confront such haters within the communities, before their hate tirades hit the headlines. That would be a much appreciated sign of integrity and willingness to adhere to non-violent standards . Quick and mindless lip-service given once such a story makes headlines is not very believable any more.
Huh - When these people 'cut and paste' muslims cleric's comments then what do you expect from the general public? I do not blamce common non-muslim but it is the media who is really the culprit here.
I Arived in Australia in 1955,from Holland with my parents and two brothers.
And all of us became Australians and are proud to be Australians.
We accepted the laws and way of life of this great country,and in a very short span of time made many friends and became part of this great continent.
My parents have passed away,and rest peacefully in this land.
I keep in touch with my relations in Holland,and still enjoy Dutch social contact.
Australia is a land of many nationalities,and most of the people who arrived here
Have contributed to the greatness of our country in one way or another.
But why does this country allow fanatical extremitist to come here and spread their venom of hatred ?????????????????????
We as a nation should from now on be very careful to whom we allow to join us.
And not let the do gooders and bleeding hearts take over.
Charity begins at home. My home, Your home, OUR HOME !!!!!!!!
Let us keep it that way MATES.
Talk is cheap you stupid fundamentalist cleric. There isn't a country on the face of this globe as violent as the United States when it comes to war, see Hiroshima and Nagasaki. If these stupid clerics incite another attack that kills thousands in the US they will find out that an American 'crusade' against stupid fudamentalists is a thousand times more devastating than any 'jihad' these ignorant clerics call for. Heck we haven't even instituted the draft and Osama has to live in a cave in the middle of nowhere until he dies.
What chance has peace in the world with people like this teaching children to hate? Why can't every peace loving nation ban them from entering their country, let them then teach their hatred to ones who want to listen, not forced upon the young. The man should be ashamed to be classed as a human being.
Well don't stop here! Wasn't it an American Christian Pastor and political leader that said Chavez should be assasinated? Isn't it the Catholic's who cover up Nazi connections and child molestestation. Isn't it the Jewish in Israel who want to annihalite everyone around them for their safety? Everything is based on fear, it isn't the samll people most of the time, it's the powerful who fear they will become nobodys. It's the powerful who start the wars not for a grand purpose, but for illusions of grandeur. It's time we hold those who are in a public position to a higher standard, then maybe these dreams of superiority will have a cost and lose there attractiveness.
Charge him under racial and religious vilifation laws; the misunderstood defence is wearing a bit thin; does he think we are that stupid??
page: 1
Kerry BergerJan 19th, 2007 - 08:26:02
It is sad to hear a member of the cloth blatantly spread anti-Semitism. And then he claims his comments were misunderstood. What rubbish. This cleric really should be defrocked, and at the very least be brought up on hate crime charges for inciting hatred.
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