Muslim Cleric Ordered to Leave Australia

Majzoob

New Member
A leading Muslim cleric, ordered to leave the country by immigration officials, says his spirit will remain in Australia forever.

Sheikh Mansour Leghaei has lived in Australia for 16 years and is the force behind an Islamic centre in suburban Sydney.

Dr Leghaei was ordered to leave the country by Sunday night, following two adverse security declarations from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO).

With his wife and their 14-year-old Australian-born daughter Fatima, he will fly out of Sydney to Iran about two hours before his bridging visa expires at midnight.

"My body will depart Australia but definitely my soul and my spirit will remain here forever," Dr Leghaei told ABC TV.

He said he had no firm plans for his life, beyond a reunion with his parents.

Fatima Leghaei also doesn't want to leave.

"I feel sad because my friends, my brothers and school and everything is all here," she said.

Dr Leghaei's three sons - all in their 20s - are staying in Sydney, and one, Sadegh is convinced his family will return.

"They will come back, rest assured they will come back," he said.

"When? (That) is in God's hands. If? It's not even a question."

An immigration spokesman said Dr Leghaei was leaving Australia voluntarily but admitted he otherwise risked being put in detention and forcibly deported.

"Sheikh Mansour Leghaei has been given an adverse security assessment and as such he doesn't meet the character requirement for a permanent residency visa, so he is required to leave the country," he told AAP.

"Anyone who has an adverse security assessment against their name is not eligible for a visa to Australia."

One of Dr Leghaei's supporters, Anglican Priest Dave Smith, said the sheikh was very emotional about his impending departure.

Father David accused the Mujahideen of being behind Dr Leghaei's adverse security assessments.

"I think there has been a variety of spurious accusations that have been levelled at him by certain members of the Mujahideen," he told AAP, while heading to the airport to farewell the sheikh personally.

"Most of which are outrageous, they are almost laughable."

Father David said Dr Leghaei played a peaceful role in the community, but that message had fallen on deaf ears.

"Certainly the work he's done in the community just pastorally, and in terms of trying to build bridges between the faith communities and different ethnic communities, I think that's well known," he said.

Politicians including Attorney-General Robert McClelland and Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese even wrote him glowing references while in opposition.

Father Dave said they'd since turned their backs.

"We are deeply disappointed that our so-called elected representatives haven't listen to us," he said.

"The action taken certainly isn't in the interests of the community.

"It's a deeply disillusioning experience at that level."



Source: news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/muslim-cleric-leaves-australia-for-good-20100627-zbzm

Wasalam,
 

queenislam

★★★I LOVE ALLAH★★★
~Salam to all!

:bismillah:
:salam2:

This is a very sad news.
But hey cheer up, Iran is a very super place to stay too:ma:
The people is friendly ,The food is delicious and the weather is wonderful.
ma:
Alhamdulillah!!!

Thank you for the News.
May Allah swt reward you for posting this~Amin!

And

:tti_sister:May Allah swt shower blesses upon all muslim~Amin

~Happy The Holy Month of Rajab.
Thank you,
Take Care!

~Wassalam.
 

Aapa

Mirajmom
Assalaam walaikum,

I agree..he will miss nothing about the downunder. The Australians have always been racists. They have had strange requirements about immigration. But, it does not surprise me...if we look historically at the peoples who migrated to Australia.
 
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