Cleric Abu Hamza says Aussies addicted to alcohol and prostitution
By Mark Dunn January 23, 2009 12:00am CONTROVERSIAL cleric Abu Hamza has claimed Australians are addicted to alcohol, gambling and prostitution in another rant to his followers broadcast over the internet.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday demanded the self-taught cleric apologise for earlier telling Muslim men they could demand sex from their wives and hit them if they were disobedient.
Mr Hamza told his mainly young male following in Melbourne and Sydney that Islamic law allowed husbands to demand sex at any time and women could be "smacked" if they continually disobeyed men.
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In another fire and brimstone sermon, recorded for the internet six months ago, Mr Hamza said non-Muslim Australians were lost in a world of booze, gambling and sex. Mr Hamza, who has delivered sermons celebrating Australia and then condemning aspects of it, told his followers to spread the word of Islam to save Australians.
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"They (Australians) think happiness can be achieved by being intoxicated, by going to the casino and blowing your money away, by going from one prostitute to the other," Mr Hamza said in his lecture titled "How to live in Australia as a Muslim".
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Following the sex-on-demand and wife beating revelations, Mr Rudd yesterday demanded Mr Hamza apologise and withdraw the comments.
"These remarks have no place in modern Australia at all. I would call upon this Islamic cleric to publicly apologise and repudiate his remarks," the PM said.
"Under no circumstances is sexual violence permissible or acceptable in Australia . . . nor is it acceptable in my view to mainstream Muslim teaching.
"So I say to this Islamic cleric, Australia will not tolerate these sort of remarks. They don't belong in modern Australia and he should stand up, repudiate them and apologise."
The controversial remarks were yesterday reported as far afield as the US and UK but Mr Hamza, also known as Samir Mohtadi and a man who has previously spoken out strongly against terrorism, would not offer further comment on his views.
However, in his lecture advising how Muslims should live in Australia he attacked secular Australian society.
"The Australian community is in desperate need for me and you (Muslims), the Australian community is in a state of loss, they don't know how to enjoy themselves," Mr Hamza said.
