Muslim leaders angry at long Sydney airport security delay for senior imam
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/19/muslim-leaders-angry-at-long-sydney-airport-security-delay-for-senior-imam
The cleric missed his flight to Mecca because of a two and a half hour baggage search at Sydney airport
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Muslim leaders are fuming at what they claim is the unacceptable treatment of a senior cleric by officials at Sydney airport.
The imam was said to have been detained on Thursday for two and a half hours by customs officials for a routine baggage search at Sydney international airport, which caused him to miss his flight.
He was on his way to Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the hajj, and was travelling with a group of Australian pilgrims.
The manner in which the detention occurred was extremely unprofessional, said the Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, and leaders of a number of Muslim community organisations.
“It is totally unacceptable for any Australian citizen, let alone a senior member of ANIC [Australian National Imams Council], to be subjected to this seemingly random yet profiled manner causing severe stress and unwanted inconvenience,” said Abu Mohammad in a statement on Friday.
After Asio increased Australia’s security threat level to high last week, the government said passengers would encounter delays at airports.
Comment was being sought from Sydney airport.
Muslim leaders have called for calm after Thursday’s counter-terrorism raids in Sydney and Brisbane.
They want to “reassure all Australians that they have nothing to fear from their Muslim neighbours, who want peace and security for everyone regardless of religion.
“We have a vested interest in the safety and security of Australia,” Abu Mohammad said in Friday’s statement.
The leaders noted a dramatic increase of abuse and discrimination against Muslim Australians in recent weeks, and said a Facebook page had been set up in response.
“We call on anyone who may have suffered a hate or bias motivated crime to call and contact the nearest police station and to report it using a special Facebook page that has been set up to register these incidents,” the statement said.
An increase in abuse is a concern from all sides of the issue.
The grand mufti said politicians and the media must not use the raids to inflame hatred of certain segments of the community.
The prime minister, Tony Abbott, has also called for tolerance.
The imam was said to have been detained on Thursday for two and a half hours by customs officials for a routine baggage search at Sydney international airport, which caused him to miss his flight.
He was on his way to Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the hajj, and was travelling with a group of Australian pilgrims.
The manner in which the detention occurred was extremely unprofessional, said the Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, and leaders of a number of Muslim community organisations.
“It is totally unacceptable for any Australian citizen, let alone a senior member of ANIC [Australian National Imams Council], to be subjected to this seemingly random yet profiled manner causing severe stress and unwanted inconvenience,” said Abu Mohammad in a statement on Friday.
After Asio increased Australia’s security threat level to high last week, the government said passengers would encounter delays at airports.
Comment was being sought from Sydney airport.
Muslim leaders have called for calm after Thursday’s counter-terrorism raids in Sydney and Brisbane.
They want to “reassure all Australians that they have nothing to fear from their Muslim neighbours, who want peace and security for everyone regardless of religion.
“We have a vested interest in the safety and security of Australia,” Abu Mohammad said in Friday’s statement.
The leaders noted a dramatic increase of abuse and discrimination against Muslim Australians in recent weeks, and said a Facebook page had been set up in response.
“We call on anyone who may have suffered a hate or bias motivated crime to call and contact the nearest police station and to report it using a special Facebook page that has been set up to register these incidents,” the statement said.
An increase in abuse is a concern from all sides of the issue.
The grand mufti said politicians and the media must not use the raids to inflame hatred of certain segments of the community.
The prime minister, Tony Abbott, has also called for tolerance.
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