Authorities in Sydney have ordered the immediate closure of a prayer hall associated with a controversial Islamic preacher after it was found to be operating without proper approval.
Council Acts on Unauthorised Use
The City of Canterbury Bankstown has shut down the Al Madina Dawah Centre, issuing a cease use notice effective immediately. A council spokesperson confirmed the premises only had recent approval to operate as a medical centre and never received the required development consent to function as a prayer hall.
Our recent surveillance indicates there is a strong suspicion the premises is being used contrary to its intended use, the spokesperson said. There are no compromises, and we will be taking further action if they don't comply.
Links to Controversial Figure and Past Investigations
The centre is affiliated with cleric Wissam Haddad, also known as Abu Ousayd. In July this year, the Federal Court found three of Haddad's sermons from late 2023 contained devastatingly offensive and fundamentally racist and anti-Semitic imputations against the Australian Jewish community. A judge ordered the lectures be removed from social media.
The centre has also been historically linked to one of the gunmen involved in the December 14 Bondi shooting. It was revealed that 24-year-old Naveed Akram had been investigated by domestic spy agency ASIO in 2019 over suspected links to Islamic extremists in Sydney and to the Al Madina Dawah Centre. The ABC reported Akram was a worshipper at the centre.
A History of Compliance Issues
This is not the first time the council has taken action against premises associated with Haddad. In December 2022, council ordered Haddad to stop using a premises on Eldon Street in Georges Hall, which only had approval to operate as a gym. When it continued to operate, he was issued with another shutdown notice.
Following the Bondi terror attack, the Al Madina Dawah Centre issued a statement claiming Haddad was not involved in the centre's management, committee, or board. His involvement is limited to occasional invitations as a guest speaker, including delivering lectures and at times, Friday sermons, the statement read, adding the centre was under new management.
The council spokesperson emphasised they have no control over what is preached inside illegal prayer halls but stated they will continue to monitor the centre and will be taking further action if necessary.
