Free Republic

THE Australian Federal Police has seized documents and will question key Islamic community figures after widening its investigation into allegations Australia's mufti, Taj Din al-Hilali, gave charity funds to supporters of al-Qa'ida and Hezbollah terrorist outfits in Lebanon last year. The Weekend Australian understands the AFP this week contacted Sheik Hilali's confidant Keysar Trad -- who is in Lebanon -- about the probe. In recent days, police have seized documents from the Sydney-based Lebanese Muslim Association, which is linked to Sheik Hilali, and also interviewed its president, Tom Zreika. It is believed the federal police "intelligence probe" will include the...

CONTROVERSIAL Muslim cleric Sheik Taj al-Din al-Hilali has won an Australia Day award - as the country's Un-Australian of the Year. The Mufti of Australia was awarded the gong by men's magazine Zoo Weekly for a series of controversial remarks over the past year, including that women invited rape by the way they dressed and that Muslims had more right to live in Australia than those with convict ancestors. He headed a list of the magazine's tongue-in-cheek top 10, released today ahead of Thursday's Australian of the Year Awards. Zoo Weekly features editor Gregor Stronach described the magazine's nominees as...

TAJ Din al-Hilali has praised militant jihadists in Iraq and Afghanistan, calling them men of the highest order for fighting against coalition forces - which include Australian soldiers - to "liberate" their homelands... The revelation comes as a neighbouring cleric from Sydney's Bankstown accused Sheik Hilali of supporting military Islamic jihad against the West and called on imams from around the country to band together to force the mufti to step down. As John Howard and Kim Beazley called for Muslims to act against Sheik Hilali, Jamal Rifi, from the Australian Muslim Doctors Against Violence, pleaded with the mufti: "Please...