Australian Muslim cleric in trouble again

[Ban Hammer 14,283]

CANBERRA (Reuters) - One of Australia's top Muslim clerics, who inflamed anti-Muslim sentiment by comparing unveiled women to "uncovered meat", was in trouble again on Friday after saying Muslim Australians had more right to the country than people descended from convicts.

Sheikh Taj El-Din Hilaly, the mufti of Australia's biggest mosque in Sydney, told Egyptian television in an interview that white Australians originally arrived in convict chains.

"We (Muslims) came as free people. We bought our own tickets. We are entitled to Australia more than they are," he said in comments translated for Australian television networks.

The controversy last year over his 'women as meat' sermon was a conspiracy to "bring the Islamic community to its knees", Hilaly said, calling white Australians the "biggest liars".

Hilaly angered community and political leaders and divided the country's 280,000 Muslims in a Ramadan sermon last September in which he appeared to criticise heavy jail sentences given to a group of convicted gang rapists.

The Egyptian-born cleric said immodestly dressed women were like uncovered meat left out for a cat.

Prime Minister John Howard said Hilaly's latest comments would bring a wry smile to the face of Australians whose ancestors came to the country between 1788 and 1850 among 162,000 convicts sent from England.

"It's almost a badge of honour for many Australians," Howard said.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Hilaly was no longer taken seriously.

"I'm a South Australian. South Australia was never a convict colony, so I'm very relaxed about what people say about convicts," Downer quipped.

Islamic Friendship Association president Keysar Trad, a close friend of Hilaly's, said the cleric's latest comments were "ill-advised", apologising for any offence.

A popular men's magazine this month awarded Hilaly its "Funny Guy of the Year" award for 2006 and compared his meat sermon to an "absurdist comedy" worthy of an "Islamic Seinfeld".

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Islamic Friendship Association president Keysar Trad, a close friend of Hilaly's, said the cleric's latest comments were "ill-advised", apologising for any offence.

The strongest condemnation he could think of was the phrase "ill-advised"? Hilarious. What a schmuck.

[Fandango 1,440]

what a Persian shoe!

[almaty 19]

what a Persian shoe!

and a Chopf##k to boot

[cbd2cai 0]

what a Persian shoe!

and a Chopf##k to boot

I was going to say . . . . "hit that guy with a shoe!!"

[almaty 19]

what a Persian shoe!

and a Chopf##k to boot

I was going to say . . . . "hit that guy with a shoe!!"

you are indeed right thinking

[girlfrmoz 1]

He is a big joke here in Aus and an embarrassment to the Muslim community here who also condemn what he says. We just laugh at him. He's an idiot and digging his own grave.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

He is a big joke here in Aus and an embarrassment to the Muslim community here who also condemn what he says. We just laugh at him. He's an idiot and digging his own grave.

I thought he'd already dug it to 10x the "normal" depth when he did the "uncovered meat" foot-in-mouth!

[Identity 0]

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Hilaly was no longer taken seriously.

"I'm a South Australian. South Australia was never a convict colony, so I'm very relaxed about what people say about convicts," Downer quipped.

The honorable Member for Mayo has just given us the only thing that Adelaide has to brag about. Parochial!

Hilaly is currently in Egypt. We'll see what happens when he tries to re-enter the country.