An Australian spokesman for controversial Muslim group Hizb ut-Tahrir got into a heated argument with ABC presenter Emma Alberici during an interview on Wednesday’s Lateline program.
Wassim Doureihi, of Muslim group Hizb ut-Tahrir, appeared on the program following comments made by the prime minister earlier in the day that the group was "thoroughly objectionable" and could be subject to proposed laws that would make it an offence to promote terrorism.
The interview quickly turned sour after Alberici asked Mr Doureihi whether he supported the tactics employed by Islamic State fighters.
"The first point is that when we discuss events in the Middle East in the Muslim world our entry point shouldn't be what ISIS is or [isn’t] doing," Mr Doureihi said.
But when Alberici tried to get Mr Doureihi to answer the question directly and pressed him for a response to whether his group condoned the tactics of IS, he continued to object.
"The fact is, the entire response is on what Muslims are doing or may not be doing but no one legitimately or sincerely is discussing what Western governments are doing in the Muslim world," he said.
"Groups like ISIS or al Qaeda don’t exist in a vacuum. They exist as a reaction to Western interference in the Islamic lands and they view themselves, rightfully or wrongfully, as a resistance effort to what they regard as an unjust occupation."
After a heated back and forth, the pair squared off.
"You are clearly obfuscating and I did not invite you on this program to do that," Alberici said.
Mr Doureihi contended that it was she, not him, who was pushing an agenda.
"If you wanted a one way discussion…you did not necessarily have to invite me," he said.
"You’re asking the question bating for a particular response..."
Alberici then turned the conversation to the group’s call for a caliphate governed by Sharia Law, asking Mr Doureihi what that would look like in in Australia.
But Mr Doureihi again lambasted the "absurdity" of the question, accusing Alberici of trying to reinforce an "Islamphobic narrative that justifies the wholesale slaughter of entre populations."
"As Muslims we have a fixed moral compass that says it’s unequivocally under any conditions – it’s an aberration to kill innocent civilians," he said.
"Tony Abbott cannot say that; John Howard dismissed the slaughter of half a million civilians as an 'embarrassment'.
"Let’s talk about morality here, let’s talk about who is the greatest threat to civilian life."
