An Islamic preacher who was successfully sued for making anti-Semitic remarks and has historical links to one of the alleged Bondi Junction shooters is currently licensed to own firearms in New South Wales.
Court Case and Alleged Extremist Links
Wissam Haddad, a preacher who has delivered lectures at Sydney's now-shuttered Al Madina Dawah Centre, holds a valid firearms licence. This revelation comes after Haddad was linked to 24-year-old Naveed Akram, who was allegedly one of the gunmen in the December 14 Bondi Beach attack, a connection Haddad denies.
Following the attack, it emerged that Akram had been examined by the domestic spy agency ASIO in 2019 over suspected links to Islamic extremists in Sydney and his reported attendance at the Al Madina Dawah Centre.
Haddad was sued in the Federal Court over comments made in November 2023, following the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. In sermons, Haddad described Jewish people as "vile", "treacherous", "murderous" and "mischievous".
The case was brought by Executive Council of Australian Jewry leaders Peter Wertheim and Robert Goot, who argued the lectures were offensive and could incite violence. Justice Angus Stewart ruled the sermons contained "perverse generalisations" and anti-Semitic tropes.
Haddad was ordered to remove the sermons online and post corrective notices about the court's findings on the centre's website and social media.
Centre Shut Down Over Unauthorised Use
This week, Bankstown Council forced the closure of the Al Madina Dawah Centre where Haddad preached. The premises was approved as a medical centre but was operating as an unauthorised prayer hall.
"Our recent surveillance indicates there is a strong suspicion the premises is being used contrary to its intended use," a council spokesperson said. "We have issued the cease use notices which will be effective immediately."
This is not the first time Haddad has been involved with an improperly used venue. In December 2022, council ordered him to stop using a Georges Hall premises approved only as a gym. He continued operating and received another shutdown notice.
Denials and New Management Claims
In a statement issued the day after the Bondi terror attack, the Al Madina Dawah Centre claimed Haddad was not involved in its management, board, or committee.
"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 statement strongly rejected attempts to "unjustly tarnish the organisation or misrepresent its leadership." Despite these assertions, the revelation of Haddad's current gun licence raises significant questions about firearms regulation and vetting processes in New South Wales.
