An Islamic centre has distanced itself from the actions of a Melbourne terror suspect who stabbed two police officers.
The Al Furqan Islamic Information Centre also expressed its condolences to the family of "brother" Numan Haider, 18, who was shot dead by one of the counter-terrorism officers outside a Melbourne police station on Tuesday night.
"We sincerely pray that they are granted patience and strength in this difficult time," the centre said in a statement posted on its website on Thursday.
"We would also like to express our deep shock at the tragic events of Endeavour Hills."
It was disappointed by the "sensationalist" assumptions which accompanied media coverage of the event and raised Haider's right to the presumption of innocence.
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"We call upon the wider community to extend to every member of our society this basic right, especially if they are no longer with us to defend themselves," it said.
"Al Furqan would also like to emphasise that both its centre and its president, Harun Mehicevic, are in no way involved or connected to this incident."
Islamic Council of Victoria secretary Ghaith Krayem said on Wednesday Haider had in the past been involved with Al Furqan, which was raided by police in 2012, but hadn't had recent contact with the group.
