…and Australia’s Foreign Minister says, “Good riddance.”
“Downer says good riddance to sheik,” from the Sydney Morning Herald, with thanks to David:
Outgoing Islamic leader Sheik Taj el-Din al Hilaly did a bad job and embarrassed Australia’s Muslims, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.
Sheik al Hilaly stood down from the position of mufti yesterday after making a series of controversial remarks in the past year.
“I have to say I think that Sheik al Hilaly has done a very bad job as the leader of the Islamic community,” Mr Downer told Sky News.
“I know many Muslims who have been embarrassed by him and have felt he hasn’t done Islamic Australia any good at all.
“Him standing down and a new mufti taking over, it has to be a step forward.”
Assuming, that is, that his successor doesn’t hold the same views but is just a bit cleverer than al-Hilali about expressing them.