Radical Islamic preacher Wissam Haddad accused of insulting Jews in sermons to become an 'influencer'

Sky News AU

a day ago

A radical Islamic preacher has been accused of making anti-Semitic comments about Jews in a bid to become an online celebrity.
Wissam Haddad took the stand in a landmark trial brought by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Australia's peak Jewish body, over five sermons he delivered in November 2023 the group regards as anti-Semitic and in breach of section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.
In the sermons, Mr Haddad describes Jews as the 'descendants of pigs and monkeys', and a 'vile and treacherous' people who use their 'wealth' to wield power over the weak, among other derogatory terms.
Mr Haddad testified that by 'Jews', he was only referring to Jews 'of faith'.
'I'm speaking about Jews of faith, not an ethnicity,' Mr Haddad said.
He also claimed to be speaking about Jews in either the 7th century, during the times of historical battles with Muslims, or Jews who are currently in the Israeli government.
"When I speak about Jews today, I'm referring to the Jews that are in charge of Israel,' Mr Haddad said.
The barrister for the Jewish group, Peter Braham SC, put to Mr Haddad he'd never made the distinction during the speeches, which were delivered at his Al Madina Dawah Centre in southwest Sydney - which the court heard has since closed - and later uploaded to social media pages on Facebook and Rumble.
Mr Haddad responded he did not have to make the qualification because the Muslims he was speaking to would have implicitly understood.
He later said, 'I never set out to insult Jews, no', and agreed it would be 'improper' to make a blanket statement about all Jews.
When pressed by both Justice Angus Stewart whether he accepted there were Israeli government members and supporters of 'no particular faith', Mr Haddad said he did not 'have that knowledge.'
In one of the 2023 speeches in question, Mr Haddad referred to Jews as 'rats'.
'The majority of banks are owned by the Jews,' he says in the speech. 'Peace is bad for the Jews. There goes our media, our Hollywood blockbuster films.'
Mr Braham put to Mr Haddad that the 'Jews of the Israeli government don't have Hollywood blockbuster films.'
'It's just a lie for you to say you were only talking about Jews in the Israeli government when you were talking about Jews who made Hollywood films?' Mr Braham said.
Mr Haddad denied he had lied.
The court heard of other occasions Mr Haddad had made insulting comments about other religious communities, including when he gave a sermon in 2022 in which he warned Muslims wishing someone 'Merry Christmas' was worse than 'congratulating someone… for committing murder'.
In 2023, he gave another sermon calling Hindus 'worshippers of cows and monkeys', then posted an Instagram video in which he mockingly eats a hamburger while saying he does not have 'beef' with anyone.
Cows are considered sacred to Hindus.
Mr Haddad has relied on the defence that his speeches were made 'reasonably and in good faith', which would provide an exemption under section 18D of the Act.
Mr Braham said the cleric's past controversial comments showed he was not a person 'who engages in serious discussions.'
'He's a person who engages in mocking, flippant comments of other communities - mocking Christmas, mocking people's dietary habits,' Mr Braham said.
He put to Mr Haddad he had repeatedly courted controversy in the past and was making 'rude and racist' comments about Jews to attract attention to himself.
'You wanted to be an online personality, an influencer, didn't you?' Mr Braham said.
'No,' Mr Haddad responded.
'Weren't you trying to relive the glory days of the controversies about Christians and Hindus?' Mr Braham said.
'No,' was again the reply.
Mr Haddad spent much of his time in the witness box arguing his speeches were derived from Islamic scripture, a claim he was repeatedly challenged on.
The Jewish group may call an expert on Islamic scripture on Thursday before both sides present their closing arguments.
The trial finishes in the Federal Court on Friday.