Islamic preacher Wissam Haddad has shared an ominous warning with his followers as his legal battle with Australia’s biggest Jewish body gets under way.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry is suing Haddad in the Federal Court over his sermons at Al Madina Dawah Centre in Bankstown, western Sydney, which they allege breached the Racial Discrimination Act.
In the wake of the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, Haddad allegedly said in his sermons that Jews were ‘cowards, filthy, liars and schemers’. The case also claims he labelled Jewish people ‘descendants of pigs and monkeys’ and urged his followers to ‘spit’ on Israel.
Haddad will argue that his statements were taken from religious texts like the Quran and were not likely to offend. He also contends that his sermons were performed in private and published online without his permission.
The preacher, who is also known as Abu Ousayd, appeared in the Federal Court in Sydney on Tuesday to defend the lawsuit – and in the lead-up to the case, he shared a defiant message on social media.
‘They are the one dragging us to court, so we’re not going to come unarmed,’ he said in the message.
‘We’re going to fight them with everything that we have,’ he added, before an image of a sword appeared in the video.
‘…Isn’t it about time that somebody fights back? Isn’t it about time that somebody stands up to these bullies?
Wissam Haddad (pictured left) appeared in the Federal Court in Sydney on Tuesday to defend the lawsuit
‘We’re going to fight them with everything that we have,’ he added, before an image of a sword appeared in the video
Executive Council of Australian Jewry deputy president Robert Goot (centre) and co-CEO Peter Wertheim (right) arriving at the Federal Court in Sydney on Tuesday morning
‘And this is, Alhamdulillah, something I am personally willing to do.’
Haddad also appealed to his followers for help with his legal costs in fighting the lawsuit, posting a link to a GoFundMe page which had raised almost $20,000 toward a $25,000 target on Tuesday.
‘We are at a crossroads that will determine the future of Islamic expression in Australia,’ the page said.
‘…a landmark legal case will be heard – one that could criminalise the public teaching or mention of certain Qur’anic verses and Hadiths if someone deems them “offensive.”
‘This case has far-reaching implications – not just for one individual or organisation, but for every imam, scholar, community leader, and Muslim in the country.’
Haddad’s use of a sword in his social media warning was encouraging his followers to join a ‘physical’ battle, a Jewish community source told The Australian.
‘He’s positioning it as an act of Islamic duty, a religious war between Muslims and Jews, which makes it even more alarming and chilling,’ the source said.
‘He doesn’t have mainstream support in his own community, but it has the potential to incite young radicals to commit violence. It’s extremely dangerous.’
Sheik Ahmad Musa Jibril, a US-based radical Islamist who previously called on young people to join ISIS, has asked his followers to support Haddad’s legal defence and claimed he is ‘one of the most targeted men in Australia by the disbelievers’.
