Fed: New imam for Canberra to shut out Saudis

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-2007
Fed: New imam for Canberra to shut out Saudis

By Nick Butterly

CANBERRA, Feb 14 AAP - Canberra's peak Islamic body has appointed a new imam for the
capital amid claims the Saudi Arabian government is dividing the local Muslim community
through controversial payments to religious leaders.

AAP reported last month that Canberra's imam, who was also a full-time employee of
the Australian Tax Office (ATO), had been accused by a faction of worshippers of misusing
donations from the Saudi government's religious donation office.

Community members wrote to the ATO calling for an investigation into whether the former
imam, Mohammed Swaiti, declared regular salary payments from the Saudi Arabian government.

The cash payments were said to be made in US dollars.

The imam last month and again today declined to comment.

The letter to the ATO claimed that up to 20 imams around Australia received payments
from the Saudi government.

Critics also distributed leaflets at the Canberra mosque - situated in the heart of
Canberra's diplomatic precinct - alleging the imam was hoarding funds donated by the Saudis
for the upkeep of the mosque.

The leaflet claimed the Islamic donation office of the Saudi embassy - or Dawaa office
- was dividing Canberra's Muslim population by backing the imam against those unhappy
with what had happened with the funds.

Sabre Poskovic, president of the ACT Islamic Society, said today the body had appointed
a new imam, Yasar Atay.

It was unclear what would happen to Mr Swaiti.

Mr Poskovic said the new imam would be paid by the Islamic society, not by the Saudi government.

He said a cleric could only truly claim to represent his community if he was paid by
his community and he did not want the Saudi government interfering in the local mosque.

"Imams should be paid by the community," Mr Poskovic said.

Asked if he thought imams should be paid by their local community, Sheik Atay said:
"Yes exactly ... If I get my pay from the community I know I will be responsible for them".

"My community can ask: `Brother, we want this or that'. They have the right to ask
me about my duty and my roll."

Leaflets distributed at the mosque last month claimed that 13 years ago the then Saudi
ambassador, Abdul Rahman, gave the imam $35,000 to be spent on renovation work at the
mosque.

None of the money was said to have been passed on despite repeated approaches by members
of the mosque asking that the money be released to pay for maintenance work.

The letter to the ATO complained that Mr Swaiti, who is of Palestinian decent, was
radical in his preaching, telling followers not to make friends with non-Muslims and that
they would burn in hell for sending Christmas cards.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer claimed early this year that funds from Saudi Arabia
intended for a mosque in Adelaide had been blocked by the federal government because of
concerns the money was from extremist groups.

In a rare press statement issued the next day, the Saudi embassy said it was "shocked"

by Mr Downer's comments and complained that advice was always sought from the Department
of Foreign Affairs and Trade before any Saudi financial assistance was given to Islamic
bodies in Australia.

A spokesman for Mr Downer later said the foreign minister had been misunderstood and
he had not intended to criticise the Saudi government.

The Saudi embassy said it was unable to comment because the ambassador was away.

AAP nb/sb/srp/cdh

KEYWORD: SAUDI CANBERRA

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