Sydney preacher taken to court over alleged anti-Semitic speech
A Muslim preacher is being sued by Australia's peak Jewish body over alleged anti-Semitic speeches in which he allegedly described Jewish people as 'vile' and 'treacherous'.
Wissam Haddad, also known as Abu Ousayd, is being taken to the Federal Court by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) over a series of lectures he gave in November 2023.
A three-day hearing in Sydney's Federal Court is set to begin on Tuesday.
Recordings of the speeches made at the Bankstown centre, which allegedly included derogatory generalisations about Jewish people, such as descriptions of them as 'vile' and 'treacherous' people, were uploaded online.
The proceedings have been brought by ECAJ co-chief executive Peter Wertheim AM and deputy president Robert Goot AO SC, who claim Mr Haddad breached the Racial Discrimination Act 1975.
Mr Wertheim said they previously attempted 'in good faith' to resolve the matter through the Australian Human Rights Commission, but a conciliated resolution could not be achieved.
'Accordingly, we have commenced proceedings in the Federal Court,' he said.
'Australia has long enjoyed a reputation as a multicultural success story where people of many different faiths and ethnic backgrounds have for the most part lived in harmony and mutual respect.'
Mr Wertheim added that all Australians were 'free to observe our faith and traditions within the bounds of Australian law'.
'Maintaining and strengthening social cohesion is the role of governments and government agencies, but lately they have failed us,' he said.
'It should not fall on our community, or any other community, to take private legal action. However, in the circumstances we feel we have no alternative.'
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