Outspoken Imam says religion to blame for brainwashing former Adelaide doctor turned IS fighter
Controversial Australian Imam Mohammed Tawhidi has broken down during a candid interview, conceding religion is to blame for brainwashing a former Adelaide doctor and turning him into a deadly ISIS fighter.
He said the video message posted by the Australian jihadi - in which he claims "we love death more than you love life" - will not go unnoticed, conceding there is a like-minded audience within the Australian community.
Tareq Kamleh, who fled to Syria in 2015, appeared in a new propaganda video on Tuesday telling Muslims who don't join ISIS they "have no self respect".
Imam Tawhidi said he struggled to watch the new video of Kamleh calling for bloodshed from within a Syrian bunker.
He was brought to tears when asked if he had a message for the paediatrician.
"I can't blame him, it's my religion. I can't blame it on education, because he's had the best education. So I have to blame it on religion," the Imam said.
He said those making ISIS propaganda have an audience in Australia, where people are being influenced by the videos.
Accused of pledging allegiance to ISIS, a 22-year-old South Australian woman remains behind bars after her arrest at Port Adelaide TAFE in May.
Anti-terror police also swooped on a local man in December, who they say encouraged terrorist attacks in videos.
"This is a battle that we Australians are going to win," the Imam said.
"All that we're dealing with is a bunch of determined amateurs that we can easily take control of."
Clearly emotional about the subject, Tawhidi is an advocate for peace within the Muslim religion.
He is well-known for his outspoken views on the Muslim religion and is active on Facebook with almost 50,000 followers.
He recently asked his supporters for $30,000 to pay for security guards and steel-barred windows at his home as he fears for his life.
Tawhidi claims to have received abuse from radical Muslims that became so bad he was forced to abandon his home and seek refuge.
He also said a $5,000 bounty was put on his head in April, with one man openly calling for his beheading.
