Taj El-Din Hilaly

Hilaly was born in Egypt and educated at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, and was a member of the illegal Islamist political body the Muslim Brotherhood. He came to Australia 1982 on a tourist visa. He overstayed his visa, but efforts to deport him failed when he was able to mobilise support among the large Sydney Islamic community and from Sydney politicians, including Paul Keating, then Treasurer in the Hawke government. He now holds joint Australian and Egyptian citizenship.

In February 1999 Hilaly arrested in Egypt, after allegedly paying $A192,000 to buy pharaonic antiquities from a smuggling ring. He was charged with smuggling antiquities. The prosecution alleged that Hilaly had conspired with an Egyptian priest, Nassid Elias Michael and his son Bassem Michael to purchase archaeological artefacts. The court sentenced Hilaly to twelve months hard labour, but a subsequent appeal found the judgement invalid. An appeal was lodged by prosecutors in Egypt, but by then Hilaly had returned to Australia.

Hilaly claims to be the leader of Australia's Muslim population and uses the title Mufti. Other Islamic leaders say he has no right to use these titles, and some oppose his political and theological views. Imams in Victoria do not recognise his claims to national leadership. This partly reflects ethnic differences. Most Sydney Muslims are of Arab, chiefly Lebanese, background, while most Muslims in Victoria are of Turkish or Albanian background and dislike what they see as the extremism of Islam in the Arab world, of which Hilaly is a representative.

Hilaly has been outspoken in his criticism of the Australian government's policies, such as taking part in the US-led invasion of Iraq, and is also a vocal opponent of Israel. When travelling outside Australia he has made statements in support of those who carried out the September 11 terrorist attacks, although when asked about this by the Australian media he denies he supports terrorism.

In media interviews Hilaly normally speaks through a translator, his minder Keysar Trad (head of the Lebanese Muslim Association). Hilaly says this is because his English is poor, although some critics claim he can speak English well, and pretends to have poor command of English to avoid having to talk to the media directly.

Accused of supporting terrorism

In February 2004 Hilaly gave a sermon at a mosque in Sidon, Lebanon, the text of which was translated by the Australian Embassy in Beirut. In his sermon Hilaly said:

"Sons of Islam, there is a war of infidels taking place everywhere. The true man is the boy who opposes Israeli tanks with strength and faith. The boy who, despite his mother's objections, goes out to war to become a martyr like his elder brother. The boy who tells his mother: 'Oh mother, don't cry for me if I die. Oh mother, Jihad has been imposed on me and I want to become a martyr'."

"September 11 is God's work against oppressors. Some of the things that happen in the world cannot be explained; a civilian airplane whose secrets cannot be explained if we ask its pilot who reached his objective without error, who led your steps? Or if we ask the giant that fell, who humiliated you? Or if we ask the President, who made you cry? God is the answer."

Hilaly replied: "I want to emphasize thing. Any person who is rejoice or supporting or in favour of the 9/11 event knows nothing about the Islam teachings. If we say that the damage resulting wars, say hundred parts, I would say that America suffered 10 per cent of the damage and 90 per cent has came upon us as masses as people as countries in the Middle East. How could you imagine that our support such a thing?"

In September 2004 Hilaly issued a statement warning that a terrorist attack on Australia during the 2004 election campaign would be "stupid and reckless" and would only harm the Islamic faith. "We assert on religious authority to any person on the face of this earth who may entertain any notion of Australia as a military target, that such a notion is contrary to the teachings of Islam and the natural laws of human behaviour," Hilaly said.

Accused of anti-Semitism

Australian Jewish organisations have regularly accused Hilaly of anti-Semitism, a charge he denies. The charges began in 1988 when Hilaly delivered a lecture to a group of Muslim students at Sydney University on the topic "The Disposition of Jews in the light of the Qur'an." He was quoted as saying:

"The Jews struggle with humanity is as old as history itself; the present continuing struggle with the Islam nation is a natural continuation of the Jews enmity towards the human race as a whole. Judaism controls the world by…secret movements as the destructive doctrines and groups, such as communism, libertinism, Free Masons, Baha’ism, the Rotary clubs, the nationalistic and racist doctrines. The Jews try to control the world through sex, then sexual perversion, then the promotion of espionage, treason, and economic hoarding."

External links

• The text of Hilaly's Sidon sermon
• Purported text of Hilaly's 1988 speech to students at Sydney University
• Australia’s anti-semitic multicultural Mufti with many masks (anti-Hilaly site)
• Gerard Henderson commentary on Hilaly