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| Down Under |
| Riot police at sheik's mosque |
| 2006-11-02 |
| RIOT police will be on hand during prayers at Sheik Taj al-Din al-Hilaly's Sydney mosque today. The sheik has called on his faithful to join him for Friday prayers at Lakemba Mosque for his first public appearances since being rushed to hospital with chest pains on Monday. Police have already closed the road outside the mosque in western Sydney in anticipation of the thousands of supporters expected to gather before prayers begin at 1pm (AEDT). Large numbers of police, including riot police, will also be on hand. Officers with bomb-sniffer dogs had been through the mosque, which has been covered in flowers from the sheik's supporters. The mufti will speak at the prayers and his appearance is expected to promote a strong display of loyalty from supporters galvanised by calls for his resignation. The sheik, one of the country's most senior Muslim clerics, has been under fire from sections of his own community as well as others over a sermon he gave last month in which he suggested immodestly dressed women invited sexual assault. Thousands of Muslims had been marshalled to attend a rally in Lakemba tomorrow but the sheik, speaking on Voice of Islam Radio in Sydney yesterday urged them not to attend. Clerics had tried to stop the unofficial demonstration, which they feared could degenerate into chaos. Some are worried it could prompt a repeat of the violence of last year's Cronulla riot. The groundswell of support for the sheik gained more momentum when senior clerics and imams joined dozens of Muslim community groups in backing him yesterday. A statement signed by 34 Muslim community groups accused the media and politicians of exaggerating the scandal and using it to vilify Australian Muslims. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #2 As I recall, during the Cronulla rioting, he was guarded by men armed with Glock handguns. |
| Posted by: mrp 2006-11-02 20:29 |
| #1 The groundswell of support for the sheik gained more momentum when senior clerics and imams joined dozens of Muslim community groups in backing him yesterday. A statement signed by 34 Muslim community groups accused the media and politicians of exaggerating the scandal and using it to vilify Australian Muslims. So, once again, exactly where are all these moderate Muslims decrying the poor image cast upon them by al-Hilali? Nothing but the usual Thundering Silence. Australians needs to remember this very clearly; Their women are nothing but meat in the eyes of Muslims. Their soldiers in Iraq are nothing more than terrorist targets for al-Hilali's followers. This maggot is a direct threat to Australia and must be ejected immediately and permanently. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-11-02 19:59 |