Lateline presenter's fiery interview over ISIS

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Lateline presenter Emma Alberici becomes visibly frustrated during her interview with a spokesman for the radical Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir. Vision courtesy of ABC Lateline.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has applauded Lateline host Emma Alberici over a fiery TV exchange with a spokesman for the radical Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Wassim Doureihi appeared on Wednesday night's episode after Mr Abbott earlier in the day said the group "campaigns against Australian values and interests".

Heated: Lateline host Emma Alberici, right, grills Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesperson Wassim Doureihi. Heated: Lateline host Emma Alberici, right, grills Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesperson Wassim Doureihi.

After a relatively subdued start to the ABC interview, Mr Doureihi repeatedly dodged questions about whether Hizb ut-Tahrir supported the "murderous campaign' waged by Islamic State extremists. Hizb ut-Tahrir has previously dubbed Islamic State as an "armed group which only represents itself". 

But Mr Doureihi repeatedly refused to condemn Islamic State's actions, despite dogged questioning by Alberici.

At one point, the Lateline host asked: "Are you outraged by the image of an Australian-born child of seven-years-old holding up severed heads like trophies in Iraq or Syria?"
Prime Minister Tony Abbott backs Lateline host Emma Alberici during an interview with 3AW host Neil Mitchell. Prime Minister Tony Abbott backs Lateline host Emma Alberici during an interview with 3AW host Neil Mitchell. Photo: Joe Armao 

Mr Doureihi replied: "Let me tell you what I am outraged by," before an angry Alberici admonished him for avoiding the question. 

Instead of answering further questions about Islamic State's conduct, Mr Doureihi repeatedly railed against Western governments and the media.

Towards the end of the interview, an exasperated Alberici said: "Can you do me a favour? But will you do me a favour and answer one question?"

Lateline host Emma Alberici. Lateline host Emma Alberici.

Mr Doureihi replied: "I'm doing the public a great favour by refocusing this discussion where it needs to be."

The pair argued for the bulk of the 11-minute interview, lighting up social media with condemnation and praise for Alberici and Mr Doureihi.

Speaking on Melbourne radio station 3AW on Thursday morning, Mr Abbott said he was impressed with the ABC host's tenacity.

"She's a feisty interviewer ... good on her for having a go and I think she spoke for our country last night," Mr Abbott said. 

Mr Abbott's praise was in stark contrast to his previous criticisms of the ABC.

In January, Mr Abbott complained the national broadcaster appeared to "take everyone's side but Australia's" after it published claims that Australian Navy officials had mistreated asylum seekers during a turnback operation.

Mr Abbott condemned Mr Doureihi's performance as "un-Australian" and said the Lateline interview confirmed his concerns about Hizb ut-Tahrir.

"This is an organisation which is very careful to avoid advocating terrorism but which is always making excuses for terrorist organisations," he said.

"Hizb ut-Tahrir is an organisation with an ideology which justifies terrorism, and that's why I say it's un-Australian, it's also un-Islamic."

3AW host Neil Mitchell asked Mr Abbott whether Mr Doureihi's performance would warrant punishment under proposed laws that would make it illegal to advocate terrorism.

Mr Abbott then drew links to the unrelated case of News Corp columnist Andrew Bolt, who was found to have breached Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act for two columns he published in 2009. 

"Well certainly if poor old Andrew Bolt is prosecuted for a mild, relatively mild piece ... if we are looking for objectionable speech, the kind of stuff we're hearing from Hizb ut-Tahrir is infinitely more objectionable than anything you'd ever hear from Andrew Bolt," Mr Abbott replied.

The Prime Minister yesterday flagged a new "red-card" system to try to block "preachers of hate" from entering Australia to address events organised  by Hizb ut-Tahrir.

He says current laws prevented the group from being banned in Australia.

About 400 people attended a protest, organised by Hizb ut-Tahrir, at Lakemba railway station after the terrorism raids last month.