A senior Australian Muslim cleric said he supports Hezbollah.
Kamal Mousselmani, head of the Supreme Islamic Shia Council of Australia, told the Weekend Australian newspaper that his community supports the Lebanese militia group and opposes Israel.
“If Australia supports Israel, they are defending terrorism because we believe terrorists come from Israel not from our people. I support Hezbollah,” he said in the interview. “Our opinion is that Hezbollah is not a terrorist group.”
According to Mousselmani, Australia’s Shi’ite Muslims sent money to Lebanese “victims” of last year’s war between Israel and Hezbollah, but none of the money went to combatants.
Australian authorities have been looking into allegations that some of the country’s 280,000 Muslims are funding radical Muslims overseas.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.