Taj El-Din Hilaly

Taj El-Din Hamid Hilaly (sometimes spelled Tajeddin Hilaly or Hilali or Al-Hilaly ) (born c. 1941 ), Australian Islamic leader, is the Imam of the Lakemba Mosque in Sydney . He styles himself Grand Mufti of Australia, but his right to use this title is disputed by other Australian Islamic leaders. Hilaly was born in Egypt and educated at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo , and was a member of the illegal Islamist political body the Muslim Brotherhood . He came to Australia 1982 on a tourist visa. He overstayed his visa, but efforts to deport him failed when he was able to mobilise support among the large Sydney Islamic community and from Sydney politicians, including Paul Keating , then Treasurer in the Hawke government. He now holds joint Australian and Egyptian citizenship. In February 1999 Hilaly arrested in Egypt, after allegedly paying $A192,000 to buy pharaonic antiquities from a smuggling ring. He was charged with smuggling antiquities. The prosecution alleged that Hilaly had conspired with an Egyptian priest, Nassid Elias Michael and his son Bassem Michael to purchase archaeological artefacts. The court sentenced Hilaly to twelve months hard labour, but a subsequent appeal found the judgement invalid. An appeal was lodged by prosecutors in Egypt, but by then Hilaly had returned to Australia. Hilaly claims to be the leader of Australia's Muslim population and uses the title Mufti . Other Islamic leaders say he has no right to use these titles, and some oppose his political and theological views. Imams in Victoria do not recognise his claims to national leadership. Most Sydney Muslims are of Arab, chiefly Lebanese, background, while most Muslims in Victoria are of Turkish or Albanian background and dislike what they see as the extremism of Islam in the Arab world, of which Hilaly is a representative. Hilaly has been outspoken in his criticism of the Australian government's policies, such as taking part in the US-led invasion of Iraq , and is also a vocal opponent of Israel . When travelling outside Australia he has made statements in support of those who carried out the September 11 terrorist attacks , although when asked about this by the Australian media he denies he supports terrorism . In media interviews Hilaly normally speaks through a translator, his minder Keysar Trad (head of the Lebanese Muslim Association ). Hilaly says this is because his English is poor, although some critics claim he can speak English well, and pretends to have poor command of English to avoid having to talk to the media directly. In early May 2005 , in an effort to secure the release of Australian citizen and California resident Douglas Wood who had been taken hostage by members of the insurgency while working in Iraq , Hilaly travelled to Baghdad to mediate between kidnappers and Wood's family. On June 15 , Wood was freed following a raid by Iraqi and US troops. Taj El-Din Hilaly's spokesperson, however, said that Wood was voluntarily released due to a co-operative effort that included Hilay's negotiating. The spokesperson also said that Hilaly's trip to Iraq in May had prevented Wood's captors executing him. These claims have yet to be verified.¹