Preacher's court loss after anti-Jew speeches
Wissam Haddad, also known as Abu Ousayd, fronted a four-day hearing in the Federal Court last month over a series of lectures he gave in November 2023, a month after the October 7 attack in Gaza.
The speeches allegedly included derogatory language about Jewish people, including describing them as 'vile' and 'treacherous'.
Proceedings were launched against Mr Haddad by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) co-chief executive Peter Wertheim AM and deputy president Robert Goot AO SC, who argued the speeches constituted unlawful discrimination. Muslim preacher Wissam Haddad was taken to court over a series of alleged anti-Semitic speeches. Christian Gilles / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia Wissam Haddad claimed he was referring to Islamic scripture in most cases. Christian Gilles / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia
The speeches allegedly inferred Jewish people were 'very mischievous', oppressed one another, and were 'wicked and scheming' among other statements, according to ECAJ's statement of claim.
The lengthy document included alleged transcripts from the speeches, with one excerpt claiming Jewish people 'used to kill their own prophets' while another described Jewish people as 'descendants of apes and pigs'.
Mr Haddad claims he was referring to Islamic scripture in most cases.
Mr Wertheim and Mr Goot submitted the speeches were reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate Jewish people in Australia. Executive Council of Australian Jewry members Rover Good and Peter Wertheim leave Federal Court. NewsWire / Jeremy Piper Credit: News Corp Australia
The speeches were also published online, with the action extending to the Al Madina Dawah Centre (AMDC) for allegedly posting videos of the sermons on their Facebook and Rumble pages.
Justice Angus Stewart delivered his judgment on Tuesday afternoon at the NSW Federal Court, where he found Mr Haddad and AMDC did breach the racial discrimination act by delivering and publishing the lectures.
Mr Haddad and AMDC have been ordered to remove the lectures from their social media.
Justice Stewart also moved to restrain Mr Haddad from causing words, sounds or images to be communicated anywhere but in private which attribute characteristics to Jewish people that convey any disparaging imputations identified from the lectures.
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