'You have stores openly selling these': Muslim leader buys 'Al Qaeda flag' in Melbourne shop
Two of Australia’s leading Muslim clerics have clashed in a fiery debate on Sunrise, with one Imam then claiming he was able to buy an 'Al Qaeda flag' in a Melbourne shop.
Prominent Lebanese Muslim figure, Doctor Jamal Rifi and contentious Islamic Sheikh, Imam Mohammad Tawhidi, were at each other’s throats over how easily Australia’s Muslim youth were being radicalised by ancient scriptures.
Illustrating his point, Sheikh Tawhidi, the self-proclaimed Imam of peace presented a sticker displaying the Al Qaeda flag he claimed to have purchased from a Melbourne shop.
“These things can be obtained from anywhere, even online or on the Internet, but when you have stores openly selling these items, with full audacity and creating this Jihadi atmosphere for the youth to put on their cars,” Imam Tawhidi told Sunrise.
“You are lying to the Australian people... Our books teach the beheading of people.
“The scriptures are exactly what is pushing these people to behead the infidel… the person who killed the young girls in Manchester did so believing he was going to dine with the prophet Mohammed that very night.”
Dr Rifi, who has publicly condemned acts of terrorism in the past, adamantly rejected the Imam Tawhidi’s claims.
“I don’t know where the Imam’s got his information from,” Dr Rifi replied.
“The Scriptures existed for hundreds of years, they did not incite violence or terror acts, it is an ideology of the so-called Islamic State and they are actually targeting the vulnerable young people.”
"[The Manchester suicide bomber] is going to hell because he killed innocent people, it is a horrific act and we condemn it, we are against it and there is nothing in our religion that would support the killing of innocent people.
