Second cleric inflames tensions in Australia

CANBERRA, Oct 31 (Reuters) Fresh allegations from a senior cleric that Australian courts were biased against Muslims in sex cases has further inflamed tensions with the country's small but highly visible Islamic community.

''I feel there is no justice here,'' Sheikh Mohammed Omran told worshippers in a Melbourne mosque, adding that football stars and other offenders received more lenient sentences than Muslims.

His remarks from Friday prayers last week were reported in the Australian newspapers today. Omran defended his views, telling Australian radio he had a right to express an opinion.

But the Australian government immediately condemned Omran's remarks, the latest in a series of comments by prominent clerics which have divided Australia's Muslim community and strained relations between Muslims and non-Muslims.

''Australia is a tolerant and multicultural society. There is room for all religions, but people who live here must respect the rule of law and Australian values,'' Attorney-General Philip Ruddock told Parliament.

The comments by the outspoken Omran come after the mufti of Australia, Sheikh Taj El-Din Hamid Hilaly, compared unveiled women to ''uncovered meat'' who invited sexual violence and criticised unsympathetic judges in rape trials.

Both Omran and Hilaly were referring to a sentence handed down to the leader of a gang of Sydney rapists, Bilal Skaf, jailed for a series of organised pack rapes in Sydney in 2000.

Skaf was sentenced to 55 years in prison for leading a gang of men in a series of rapes on Sydney women. His sentence was cut to 18 years on retrial.

Australia has about 280,000 Muslims, making up about 1.5 per cent of Australia's 20 million population. Most live in the largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne.

The latest row has divided Australia's Muslims, with many community leaders backing calls for Hilaly to stand down or be removed.

Treasurer Peter Costello earlier said both Hilaly and Omran appeared to be blaming the victims of rape, and that sermons like those could have encouraged the attacks.

''They have got to understand ... in Australia rape is a crime, we don't blame the victim. If you are not wearing a veil, that is not an open invitation,'' Costello told Australian radio.

''When you see a sermon like this being preached, when you see him referring to the Skaf case in that way, you can't help but think that this kind of thinking could well have contributed to the way in which Skaf and his co-criminals engaged in their criminal conduct.'' Hilaly was hospitalised yesterday and has stood aside indefinitely from his position at Sydney's largest mosque.

Reuters AB DB1247