Jewish body takes Islamic preacher to court over antisemitic speeches

Australia’s peak Jewish body has launched legal action against an Islamic preacher and his religious centre over what it claims were antisemitic “derogatory generalisations” about Jewish people.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry on Friday filed Federal Court proceedings against Wissam Haddad, also known as Abu Ousayd, alleging the podcaster contravened the Racial Discrimination Act during speeches made at the Al Madina Dawah Centre in Bankstown last year.

The council alleges Haddad referred to the Jewish community as a “vile” and “treacherous” people during remarks it claims were uploaded online.

Council co-chief executive Peter Wertheim and deputy president Robert Goot, who brought the proceedings under the section of the act prohibiting offensive behaviour based on racial hatred, have sought an injunction from the court ordering the online speeches be removed.

Wertheim and Goot have asked for an injunction banning Haddad and his centre from publishing similar content online in the future and for the court to order the publication of a “corrective notice” on the centre’s social media pages. The body has applied for the cost of its legal action to be covered, but it has not sought damages or compensation.

Haddad, who refers to himself as Abu Ousayd on his social media accounts, hosts the Muslim Unapologetic podcast and has posted anti-Israeli content to his Instagram account. Wissam was contacted for comment.

Wertheim said mediation attempts made in “good faith” at the Australian Human Rights Commission had been unsuccessful and that the council had “no alternative” but to take legal action.

“Accordingly, we have commenced proceedings in the Federal Court to defend the honour of our community, and as a warning to deter others seeking to mobilise racism in order to promote their political views,” Wertheim said in a statement.

“We are all free to observe our faith and traditions within the bounds of Australian law, and that should mean we do not bring the hatreds, prejudices and bigotry of overseas conflicts and societies into Australia.

“Maintaining and strengthening social cohesion is the role of governments and government agencies, but lately they have failed us. It should not fall on our community, or any other community, to take private legal action to remedy a public wrong, and to stand up to those who sow hatred in our midst. However, in the circumstances, we feel we have no alternative.”

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