An Egyptian sheik touring Australian mosques has mocked the September 11, 2001, and Charlie Hebdo terror attacks as “comedy films” and repeatedly denounced Jews and Christians in social media posts and sermons.
Sheik Omar Abdel Kafi — who is in Australia on a week-long speaking tour — told supporters in 2015 that Muslims were not involved in attacks on French magazine Charlie Hebdo and the World Trade Centre in New York.
“This play, to which the Muslims are subjected ad nauseam across the world, is the sequel to the comedy film of 9/11 … The first part took place in New York, and the sequel is taking place in Paris,” Dr Abdel Kafi said.
“Soon you will find out that (the Paris attacks) were a comedy show, in which we played no part.”
The Islamic preacher, who has visited mosques in Adelaide and Melbourne and delivers his final sermon tonight at Lakemba, in Sydney’s southwest, has been promoted as “one of the most renowned scholars of our time” and described by supporters as a “peaceful man”.
Last night more than 700 worshippers listened to Dr Abdel Kafi’s speech after evening prayers at Misjad Al Noor mosque in South Granville in Sydney’s west. The mosque — linked to slain al-Nusra jihadists Yusuf Ali and Amira Karroum — did not respond to requests for comment.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry said yesterday that he should not have been allowed into Australia, echoing previous protests against him in the US, Canada and Morocco.
The New York Times reported in 1994 that Dr Abdel Kafi said Muslims should not shake hands with Christians and should cross the street to avoid them.
Read the article by Richard Ferguson in The Australian.