Grand mufti of Australia condemns Isis 'horrors conducted overseas'
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Version 0 of 1. The grand mufti of Australia has called for calm in the Australian community and condemned the “horrors conducted overseas” by extremist groups. The address by Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed comes amid a heightened security environment in Australia, a major push for greater law enforcement and intelligence-gathering powers, and a series of threats made against Muslims. The comments also follow the shooting of 18-year-old Abdul Numan Haider by police on Tuesday night in Melbourne, after he reportedly attacked two officers with a knife. Both officers sustained injuries, and Haider was shot dead. Mohammed made a public address in Sydney on Wednesday in Arabic alongside several other senior Muslim leaders. His remarks were translated by sheikh Yahya Safi, executive member of the Australian National Imams Council. The statement said: “As we have repeatedly preached in private and in public in Arabic and in English, the horrors conducted overseas in the name of religion are crimes against humanity and sins against God. “The recent so-called fatwa from overseas, making reference to Australia as a target, has no religious authority and must be rejected. “The noble Qur’an states clearly that whoever kills a person it is as if he has killed all of humanity. And whoever saves the life of a person is as if he save all of humanity.” The grand mufti also called for calm in the community, and said the sanctity of life was paramount in Islam. He added: “We call on everyone to exercise restraint and civility. Community harmony should be maintained at all costs. We must not let emotions take over common sense. I call on categorical calm for all Australians.” The Victorian police commissioner and Australian federal police commissioner said earlier on Wednesday that the 18-year-old man who was killed had been asked to “have a chat” with police, and had arranged to meet them at the car park near the Endeavour Hills police station. A coronial inquiry will be undertaken into the circumstances surrounding the death of Haider. Samir Dandan, president of the Lebanese Muslim Association, also condemned the attack and said they would “not stand for our faith being hijacked”. But he questioned why an 18-year-old would get to the point where he could take such an extreme course of action. “The question is why is an 18-year-old in Australia getting to that extent?” he said. “It could differ from one individual to another person. We’re trying to find out who he is ... to better understand why someone might resort to an action like this. “My biggest fear is we give up our values … the rights and freedoms this country has to offer.” |