PM shuns radical clerics - Moderates only at Muslim terror talks: [1 All-round Country Edition]
Trudy Harris, Dennis Shanahan, Additional reporting: John Stapleton. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 19 Aug 2005: 1.
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Mr [Amir Butler] said Salafist Muslims, who advocate a pure interpretation of the Koran, would be unrepresented at the Canberra summit, even though they account for up to 10 per cent of Australia's 350,000-strong Muslim community.
A newly-formed Muslim group yesterday proposed establishing a panel of "legitimate" Islamic clerics to advise the Government on which religious leaders to admit to Australia.
Sheik Jehad Ismail and Ali Khamis -- spokesmen for the group, which represents 12 different Islamic centres and associations -- said "terrorism is legally, morally and explicitly wrong by Muslim principles".
JOHN Howard has shut out radical Muslim clerics from his terrorism summit, prompting warnings from moderate leaders that thelong-awaited meeting will be nothing more than a talking shop.
The Prime Minister yesterday released the guest list for next Tuesday's summit. The list includes 14 Islamic leaders, all of whom are regarded as moderates.
The summit was called to address the spread of Islamic fundamentalism in Australia, particularly among disillusioned youth, as part of an intensified effort to prevent a terrorist attack on home soil in the wake of the London bombings.
Moderate leaders said yesterday that Mr Howard had made a mistake by cold-shouldering fundamentalist leaders such as Melbourne's Sheik Mohammed Omran, whose congregations were more at risk of becoming radicalised.
"If they are serious about tackling extremists, then you need a broad cross-section of the community and, in particular, that section ofthe community accused of fostering extremism," Australian Muslim Public Affairs Committee executive director Amir Butler said.
"I don't really see what's going to come out of this."
Mr Butler said Salafist Muslims, who advocate a pure interpretation of the Koran, would be unrepresented at the Canberra summit, even though they account for up to 10 per cent of Australia's 350,000-strong Muslim community.
"It seems to be a narrow selection of the people. There are no Salafis represented," Mr Butler said.
Mr Howard said the summit would work on strategies to promote shared values and investigate how Islamic leaders could help prevent intolerance and the promotion of violence.
But Mr Butler said the leaders attending the summit had no authority over the more radical religious and community clerics and preachers.
"These people don't have any authority whatsoever over the imams accused of making inflammatory remarks. If they come out of thesummit and say `hey, imams stop saying those things', they will just laugh," he said.
Other leading moderates warned excluding fundamentalists risked marginalising them. Former Federation of Australian Muslim and Youth president Zachariah Matthews said fundamentalists needed to be confronted with debate about their ideas to make them understand how they differ to the rest of Australian society.
"With them not being there or represented there, that will keep them on the margins," Dr Matthews said. "Isolating them from thewhole process means they are not exposed to how things work, and this is an opportunity for them to be involved."
But a leading moderate who is attending the summit said including Sheik Omran, and Sheik Abdul Salam Zoud from the Belmore Mosque in Sydney, would lead to the talks becoming bogged down amid accusations and argument. "We don't want those people there, the whole thing will just go haywire, we want something positive out of this," the moderate, who did not wish to be named, said.
A newly-formed Muslim group yesterday proposed establishing a panel of "legitimate" Islamic clerics to advise the Government on which religious leaders to admit to Australia.
The Australian Shia Muslim Network, representing more than 50,000 Shia Muslims in NSW, has struck out against terrorism.
Sheik Jehad Ismail and Ali Khamis -- spokesmen for the group, which represents 12 different Islamic centres and associations -- said "terrorism is legally, morally and explicitly wrong by Muslim principles".
"Australian mosques have been consistently warning against acts of terrorism and affiliations with misguided groups, declaring all violence as unjustified, un-Islamic and un-Australian," they said.
Last night Sheik Ismail told The Australian the new group was prompted by the London
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bombings and reactions to the threat of home-grown terror.
Sheik Ismail said Muslims were all part of "mainstream Australia, and we all want to Advance Australia Fair".
"We don't wish anybody to be hurt and we want to pursue freedom and peace in Australia," he said.
"We don't want to import old wars and hatred into Australia,"
After the London bombings, Mr Howard called for Australian Muslim leaders to denounce acts of terrorism and help prevent incitement to violence.
On Tuesday, Mr Howard will meet 14 Islamic religious and community leaders to identify ways for "Islamic leaders to assist in eliminating intolerance and the promotion of violence in this country".
"The meeting will also discuss what assistance the Government might provide to support the leaders of Australian Muslim communities to eradicate extreme views and prevent violence," Mr Howard said yesterday.
Sheik Ismail told The Australian that, like the "random bag checks" in London to try to detect suicide bombers, there should be "compulsory brain checks" for people coming into Australia.
The sheik said nobody knew the Islamic community like the community itself and that a group of "legitimate" religious leaders could be appointed to advise the Government on foreign clerics.
"The willingness of the Muslim community to continue engagement with the Australian Federal Police ... is testament to their belief that there is absolutely no justification for such evil intentions, attitudes and criminal actions or excuse for taking innocent life, regardless of creed, colour, race or religion," he said.
Sheik Zoud said last night he was not disappointed at not getting a summit seat, adding that he would express his views through one of the leaders attending. Sheik Omran could not be contacted for comment.
Acting chairman of the Islamic Council of NSW, Ali Roude, said he would include the views of Sheik Zoud and others at the summit. "This is an important chance to share our ideas, concerns and commitments," he said.
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