'Disgraceful': Tony Burke condemns threat to Sydney mosque

NSW Police said it has started an investigation, and there's no ongoing threat to the community.

Lakemba mosque.

The Lebanese Muslim Association said a threatening letter was posted to the Lakemba Mosque on Thursday. Credit: SBS

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly have described the sending of a threatening letter to the Lakemba Mosque in western Sydney on Thursday as "disgraceful".

The Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA) said on Friday the mosque had received a letter that contained "a very serious threat," that singled out migrants, particularly Muslims.

In a joint statement, Burke, whose electorate of Watson covers the Lakemba Mosque, and Aly, who is Muslim, said "threats of violence have no place in Australia".

"The Australian Government takes these threats extremely seriously. This matter has appropriately been referred to law enforcement," Burke and Aly said in a statement.

"Our country is strongest when we choose unity over division."

NSW Police told SBS News it was aware of the incident and had started an investigation.

It said there was no ongoing threat to the community.

Muslim leader urges action from leadership

In a statement, the LMA said Muslim communities have "become accustomed to receiving such disgusting and dangerous threats".

"As Muslims, we are repeatedly told to be patient, yet we are rarely protected," LMA spokesperson Gamel Kheir said in the statement.

"These threats don't occur in a vacuum — they are the result of persistent political and media failure."

The LMA urged the NSW and federal governments to "show leadership" and called for them to pass legislation that outlaws vilification on the basis of religion, race and culture.

Heavily-debated new laws passed in parliament this week will allow the government to forcibly shut down extremist organisations, and aim to curb the influence of antisemitic hate preachers and neo-Nazis in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack.

Labor was forced to dump provisions clamping down on racial vilification because of a lack of political support.


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2 min read

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By Wing Kuang

Source: SBS News



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