NT Muslim slams Iraq war

11:59 AEST Sun Aug 14 2005
AAP

A leading has denounced Australia's commitment to the war on Iraq and slammed religious discrimination, the NT News reports.

In an address supported by the Federal Government, long-time Islamic Council of the NT member Hassan Bajhau said extremist Muslims who became terrorists had been educated about western political manipulation.

"First it was colonialism, then exploitation of resources then imperialism followed by ... puppet regimes that ruled according to the wishes of the West," Dr Bajhau said in his seminar "Understanding Islam: A View from Within" at the Multicultural Council of the NT last week.

"These are the questions burning in the heart of young, idealistic Muslims.

"Muslims feel totally defeated. This is why we have the problem with terrorism." Dr Bajhau said Muslims had been discriminated against in the West.

"Those atrocities in London were committed by British-born Muslims - that says something about the West," he said.

Does it mean if one IRA man kills a British soldier all Irish are terrorists?"

Dr Bajhau, an NT Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries research co-ordinator, said Muslims were not discriminated against in Darwin but some Australians of his religion were blamed for social problems.

"I'm an Australian but if something happens I'm a Muslim," he said.

Dr Bajhau said Australia, an exporter of wheat to Iran, Egypt and Iraq, lost its high political standing among Muslim nations when it joined the 2003 Iraqi invasion - and was now a terrorist target.

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