http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200610/s1774508.htm Hilaly apologises for offending women Senior Muslim cleric Sheikh Taj el-Din Al Hilaly has apologised for any offence caused by a sermon in which he reportedly laid the blame for sexual assault on women who do not cover their bodies. The Sydney cleric reportedly compared women to uncovered meat during a sermon last month. There has been swift condemnation from politicians, including Prime Minister John Howard. Sheikh Hilaly has issued a statement saying he was speaking about the causes that lead to fornication, and that he condemns rape. He has unreservedly apologised to any woman offended by his comments, insisting he only intended to protect women's honour. In his statement, Sheikh Hilaly says women in Australia have the freedom and right to dress as they choose. Condemnation Earlier, Mr Howard said that if the translation of the Sheikh's sermon last month was correct, he condemns the remarks unconditionally. "It's not for me to say what position he should hold within the Islamic faith," he said. "But it is for me as Prime Minister to say that I totally reject the notion that the way in which women dress, the way in which women deport themselves, can in any way be used as a semblance of a justification for rape," he said. Mr Howard said the comments were appalling and reprehensible. "They are quite out of touch with contemporary values in Australia," he said. "The idea that women are to blame for rapes is preposterous, it's an appalling concept." Democrats Senator Andrew Bartlett says the Sheikh's views do not reflect those of the broader Muslim community, and should not be used to vilify Muslim Australians. "I think it is an overreaction, I mean the Mufti isn't the Pope," he said. Meanwhile, the president of the Lebanese Moslem Association, Tom Zreika, says his organisation is reviewing a tape of Sheikh Hilaly's comments. Mr Zreika says that while that review takes place, the Sheikh should be given the benefit of the doubt over whether his comments have been correctly interpreted. Risk of bias Earlier, Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty said Australia was at risk of raising a generation of people who are biased against Islam. Speaking at the South Australian press club, Commissioner Keelty said Sheikh Hilaly's comments were potentially divisive. He said it was important to build a strong relationship with the Islamic community. "If we don't get a handle on this now, if don't actually teach the values to future generations that we were brought up with, then we do risk, I think, having a bigger problem in our future then what we've had in our past," he said. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
