High-profile Muslim leader Dr Jamal Rifi says he will happily buy “a one-way ticket” for any Islamic radicals wanting to leave Australia.
Dr Rifi said the Muslim community in Sydney was deeply offended by comments made by Wissam Haddad, the manager of Al-Risalah Islamic Centre in Bankstown, who said he and his followers would “give up their passports” if they could leave without “being incriminated”.
Mr Haddad made the statement following Prime Minister Tony Abbott announcing a $64 million counter-terrorism package. “I’ll buy them a one-way ticket out of Australia never to come back,” the Belmore-based Dr Rifi said.
“Let them give away their citizenship. These people are saying they want to go and relieve the oppressed Muslims overseas.
“Why would they care so much about the oppression of the Muslims overseas and through their actions and statements cause so much oppression and trouble to the Muslims in Australia?”
Dr Rifi said he supported Mr Abbott’s concept of being on “Team Australia” and believed that the greater majority of the Muslim community also agreed with the idea. “I want to be an active player on that team,” he said.
“I want the players to pass the ball so we can score goals. If we score goals, we secure a win for all Australians no matter if you are Muslim or Christian, anything.”
Mr Haddad made a statement on social media yesterday following discussions about his desire to leave Australia without incrimination on 2GB’s The Ray Hadley Morning Show on Tuesday.
“So from what I’ve heard I have been depicted as a radical extremist lunitic (sic) who allegedly supports terror activity overseas, (news to me),” he posted on Facebook.
He then issued a challenge to the Australian government to charge Hadley and his listeners who wanted to fund his return to the Middle East.
“Will Ray and his friends be charged with incitement or with the new foreign incursions act I await your humble reply!” Mr Haddad posted on Facebook yesterday, adding in the same Facebook post: “Don’t run Ray”.
Hadley, who exclusively broke the story about the men wanting to revoke their citizenship, refused to be baited by the radicals when The Daily Telegraph contacted him about the post.
Mr Haddad also previously commented he would “live and die” for the Islamic flag not the Australian flag, which also shocked Dr Rifi.
“If given the option to fight for the Australian flag or the ISIS (Islamic State) flag I, without any hesitation, will choose the Australian flag because I totally believe ISIS and its ideology are the enemy of Islam,” Dr Rifi said.
“I am in touch with my community and I am talking in the voice of the majority.”
Dr Rifi was recently targeted by Sydney-bred Islamic State extremist Mohamed Elomar, who offered a $1000 reward for the doctor’s personal information after he spoke out against the atrocities in Syria and Iraq.