Australian Muslims launch country’s first Islamic political party

The Grand Mufti of Australia, Ibrahim Abu Mohammed, and the Australian National Imams Council – a national body representing Muslim clerics – issued a statement late Sunday offering their deepest condolences to the families and friends of victims of the coordinated attacks in Paris that killed at least 129 people. “They’ve been condemned by Muslim leaders around the world and they should be condemned here in Australia by the leadership”. “Our cultures are incompatible and we need to be sorting out the Muslim problem that exists here before we take any more [refugees and Muslim immigrants]”, she told Fairfax Media.

“We’re being blamed for other people’s acts”, he said, adding that he would support “tougher sanctions” for people who commit terror attacks in Australia.

The grand mufti did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

“In addition, any discourse which attempts to apportion blame by association or sensationalises violence to stigmatise a certain segment of society only serves to undermine community harmony and safety”, he said in the statement.

“It’s like we are drowning in a sea of hate and every time we get our heads above water, something else happens to pull us down”, he said.

Secretary Seyfi Seyit said the Islamic Council was quick to condemn the attacks as the news broke in Australia on Saturday.

“We call upon all people of goodwill to stand against fearmongering and injustice”, Mohammed said.

An editorial in The Australian national newspaper also joined the debate saying, “There is no connection between the innocent victims of Paris and Islamophobia”.

‘The reason that we were so concerned is not because there were more terrorist attacks in Beirut and Iraq and other places as well, but this one targeted people going about their normal activities on a Friday night, enjoying themselves, and it really did underpin that this organisation is hell-bent on disrupting our way of life’.

Mr Mohamed said he had consulted widely with religious community leaders of all faiths and stressed that the party would be open to non-Muslims.

The situation is under “constant” review with Australia’s domestic security agencies monitoring approximately 400 individuals, while Australia’s terror alert level remains at “high”, indicating an attack is likely.