Australian ministry vilified Muslims, court rules

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Guardian

Sarah Left
Friday December 17, 2004

An Australian court ruled today that a fundamentalist Christian ministry had vilified Muslims in a test case that could have repercussions for a proposed British law on incitement to religious hatred.

A court in the southern state of Victoria found that Catch the Fire Ministries and its pastors, Danny Nalliah and Daniel Scot, had fallen foul of Victoria's 2001 Religious and Racial Tolerance Act. The Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV) brought the case following a March 2002 church seminar in Melbourne, during which Mr Scot characterised Muslims as liars and demons and claimed that the Qu'ran promoted violence, killing and looting.

The ICV also cited and article written for the ministry's newsletter by Mr Nalliah, which the judge ruled had incited fear and hatred of Muslims.

Justice Michael Higgins, ruling for the Victoria civil and administrative tribunal, said of the seminar: "It was presented in a way which is essentially hostile, demeaning and derogatory of all Muslim people, their God, Allah, and the prophet Mohammed and in general Muslim religious beliefs and practices."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/australia/story/0,12070,1376191,00.html