Paris attacks anger Perth imam

A Perth imam says his greatest challenge is engaging and educating muslim youth in the wake of the Paris attacks.

Masjid Ibrahim Mosque in WA (Facebook: Shak El-Naqshbandi)

Masjid Ibrahim Mosque (Shak El-Naqshbandi) Source: Facebook

An imam whose Perth mosque was the target of racially motivated attacks earlier this year says he's angered and disappointed by the Paris attacks.

Imam Shabir, from the Masjid Ibrahim Mosque in Perth's south, says engaging and educating youth is the first step in what should be a global effort to prevent future attacks.

"We want to try and get whatever thoughts might be lingering in the back of their minds and what they think the religion is about ... and try and channel that emotion in the right direction," he told AAP.

Imam Shabir said the extremists who carried out attacks on Paris, killing more than 120 people, were doing a great disservice to Islam.

The imam said his community had an open, positive relationship with Justice Minister Michael Keenan, who met with Masjid Ibrahim representatives ahead of the mosque's open day last month.

Imam Shabir said he was not fearful of racially motivated attacks on the Southern River mosque in the wake of the attacks, despite it being targeted earlier in the year when a mutilated pig was dumped at the entrance.

"I think as long as we work together, make sure our doors are open, make sure our communications are open and clear, I think we have no reason to be fearful," he said.

"We've lived here long enough to know common sense will prevail, humanity will prevail."


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world