UWA Muslim lecture called off
UPDATE 8.45am: A planned lecture at the University of WA by a Muslim activist has been cancelled after the event organisers learnt of his links to an international extremist group.
Uthman Badar sparked outrage in Sydney recently when he planned to give at talk at an arts festival titled "Honour Killings are Justified".
He is also the spokesman for international group Hizb Ut-Tahrir which promotes the overthrow of Western governments and the establishment of Sharia Law across the globe.
Last night, the university was under pressure to stop the lecture by Uthman Badar but it was the student association which this morning pulled the plug on the lecture.
Nazim Khan from UWA's Muslim Students Association said he was not aware of Mr Badar's links to the group when a lecture on the issue of "The Crisis in Gaza" was booked for this Saturday.
He said the association moved quickly this morning to cancel Mr Badar's attendance when it was made aware of his views.
"The booking was made by one of our trusted associates from outside the university... and we did not do our due diligence," Mr Khan said.
"When we found out who the speaker was and his background we chose to cancel it."
The university did not move to ban Mr Badar when it was informed yesterday that he would be speaking on campus.
Vice-Chancellor Paul Johnson told ABC radio this morning that the association’s executive officer wrote: “I want to inform you that I am cancelling the talk scheduled for this Saturday at UWA by Uthman Badar.”
“We expect anyone who comes to the university – whether they are a member of staff, a student or visitor – to abide by the university’s code of ethics and code of conduct,” Professor Johnson said.
These included “very clear ethical principals about equity, justice, respect for people and a commitment to diversity”.
