Free Republic

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...

'Raving about jihad is simply un-Australian' By Mark Chipperfield in Sydney (Filed: 21/02/2006) The Australian prime minister, John Howard, criticised the minority of Muslims in the country who "rave on about jihad" and hold "extreme attitudes" towards women, saying they do not fit into Australian society. Mr Howard told the authors of a book celebrating his 10 years in power that Muslims who support a jihad, or holy war, against the West could not easily be absorbed into mainstream Australia. Adamant: John Howard Sections of the book, entitled The Howard Factor, were leaked by The Australian newspaper. Muslim leaders accused...

By TREVOR PADDENBURG 18dec05 A WA hospital has scrubbed baked ham from its Christmas menu, fearing Muslim patients could be offended. It has also overhauled its entire menu so that all meals are now halal – containing only meat and other food prepared according to Muslim customs. But Port Hedland Regional Hospital staff and many non-Muslim patients are outraged, saying it is a case of political correctness gone mad. Kitchen staff are so angry that they have organised a petition demanding ham be put back on the Christmas menu. Other WA hospitals are also introducing halal dining, though the Health...