Excerpt:
Two men accused of illegal land clearing on a rural property in north-west Sydney were building a large shed on the day they were required in court for a hearing about the allegations, ABC footage shows.
Dr Mustapha Kara-Ali and Diaa Kara-Ali, who belong to an Islamic guild founded by Dr Kara-Ali called Diwan al Dawla, have been taken to the Land and Environment Court by Hawkesbury City Council for allegedly carrying out illegal land clearing and earthworks without seeking any of the relevant development approvals at a property in Colo.
They also allegedly built gates, fences and driveways, and they have claimed the civil action against them infringes on their religious freedoms because they say they use the Colo property for religious prayers and “ritual baptisms”.