Australian muslim leaders have decided that sheikh 'hilarious' Hilaly has drawn too much attention to islam in the country:
http://au.news.yahoo.com/070111/2/121be.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Sheik to be given the flick: report</b>
Muslim community leaders are moving to dump cleric Taj el-Din al Hilaly but will offer him a package that includes a weekly payment and free accommodation.
The Australian newspaper reports Sheik al Hilaly has been banned from delivering sermons, and his title of mufti of Australia is expected to be up for grabs in coming weeks.
His future was decided by more than 50-based Sydney Muslim leaders during a secret meeting last week.
The decision comes after a series of controversial statements in which Sheik al Hilaly compared immodestly-dressed women to uncovered meat and said Muslims were more entitled to live in Australia than Anglo-Saxons sent as convicts.
The Mufti is reported to have initially opposed the ban against him, before agreeing to stop giving sermons if a mutual understanding could be worked out with the Lebanese Muslim Association.
Islamic leader Mustafa Hamed said a long-service package was being worked out for the sheik.
<b>"If I didn't believe that it was in the best interest of the community, that the damage he's done is enough, I wouldn't say that he should leave,"</b> Mr Hamed told The Australian.
(There you have it: 'Hilaly should not have drawn attention and damaged our place in Australia; his sermons were good otherwise.')
"We are prepared to pay his long-service leave ... this is currently being negotiated in the community, among councils."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Meanwhile, another faithful in Australia is facing a different kind of music:
http://au.news.yahoo.com/070207/23/12ce1.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Brigitte faces court over terror charges</b>
By 7News
Terror suspect Willie Brigitte has faced court more than three years after he was deported from Australia.
The Frenchman is accused of setting up an Australian terrorist cell and plotting an attack on the nation's power grid.
Inside Paris' imposing Palace of Justice, Brigitte faced three judges.
The 38-year-old Muslim convert was accused of undergoing intensive weapons and explosive training at terrorist camps in both France and <b>Pakistan</b>.
French Authorities claim Brigitte was then ordered to go on a mission to Australia in May 2003 where his contact was Faheem Lodhi, who has since been sentenced to 20 years' jail for plotting to blow up Sydney's electricity grid.
The judge told the court that Brigitte knew about a large terrorist attack to be perpetrated in Australia and when he was arrested by Australian authorities he had website pages showing military and nuclear facilities.
Brigitte married former Australian soldier and Muslim convert Melanie Brown, who was not in court today.
After spending five months in Australia he was deported back to Paris and arrested on terrorism conspiracy charges.
For the first time Brigitte spoke publicly, saying an impartial investigation would show that he is not a terrorist.
"Terrorism is against Islam and is against my conception of life," he said.
(Jerk can drop it now. He's been caught.)
After three years in jail he said he had lost faith in the French legal system and refused to answer any more questions.
Brigitte's lawyer, Harry Durimel, said Brigitte was being targeted.
"Is it a crime to learn your religion? Is it a crime to deepen your knowledge of your religion?" he questioned.
If found guilty, Brigitte could be sent to prison for 10 years.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Well, if you learn christoislamism, you're learning terrorism. And yes, terrorism is a crime.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/070111/2/121be.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Sheik to be given the flick: report</b>
Muslim community leaders are moving to dump cleric Taj el-Din al Hilaly but will offer him a package that includes a weekly payment and free accommodation.
The Australian newspaper reports Sheik al Hilaly has been banned from delivering sermons, and his title of mufti of Australia is expected to be up for grabs in coming weeks.
His future was decided by more than 50-based Sydney Muslim leaders during a secret meeting last week.
The decision comes after a series of controversial statements in which Sheik al Hilaly compared immodestly-dressed women to uncovered meat and said Muslims were more entitled to live in Australia than Anglo-Saxons sent as convicts.
The Mufti is reported to have initially opposed the ban against him, before agreeing to stop giving sermons if a mutual understanding could be worked out with the Lebanese Muslim Association.
Islamic leader Mustafa Hamed said a long-service package was being worked out for the sheik.
<b>"If I didn't believe that it was in the best interest of the community, that the damage he's done is enough, I wouldn't say that he should leave,"</b> Mr Hamed told The Australian.
(There you have it: 'Hilaly should not have drawn attention and damaged our place in Australia; his sermons were good otherwise.')
"We are prepared to pay his long-service leave ... this is currently being negotiated in the community, among councils."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Meanwhile, another faithful in Australia is facing a different kind of music:
http://au.news.yahoo.com/070207/23/12ce1.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Brigitte faces court over terror charges</b>
By 7News
Terror suspect Willie Brigitte has faced court more than three years after he was deported from Australia.
The Frenchman is accused of setting up an Australian terrorist cell and plotting an attack on the nation's power grid.
Inside Paris' imposing Palace of Justice, Brigitte faced three judges.
The 38-year-old Muslim convert was accused of undergoing intensive weapons and explosive training at terrorist camps in both France and <b>Pakistan</b>.
French Authorities claim Brigitte was then ordered to go on a mission to Australia in May 2003 where his contact was Faheem Lodhi, who has since been sentenced to 20 years' jail for plotting to blow up Sydney's electricity grid.
The judge told the court that Brigitte knew about a large terrorist attack to be perpetrated in Australia and when he was arrested by Australian authorities he had website pages showing military and nuclear facilities.
Brigitte married former Australian soldier and Muslim convert Melanie Brown, who was not in court today.
After spending five months in Australia he was deported back to Paris and arrested on terrorism conspiracy charges.
For the first time Brigitte spoke publicly, saying an impartial investigation would show that he is not a terrorist.
"Terrorism is against Islam and is against my conception of life," he said.
(Jerk can drop it now. He's been caught.)
After three years in jail he said he had lost faith in the French legal system and refused to answer any more questions.
Brigitte's lawyer, Harry Durimel, said Brigitte was being targeted.
"Is it a crime to learn your religion? Is it a crime to deepen your knowledge of your religion?" he questioned.
If found guilty, Brigitte could be sent to prison for 10 years.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Well, if you learn christoislamism, you're learning terrorism. And yes, terrorism is a crime.