Sheik Taj al-Din al-Hilali, the Australian Islamic cleric who said “women are Satan’s weapons” and compared unveiled women to “uncovered meat” (and therefore deserving of rape), has been told to keep it on the down low by the Lebanese Muslim Association: Sheik Hilali banned from talking to the media. (Hat tip: LGF readers.)

FIVE of the nation’s most powerful Islamic clerics, including Sheik Taj al-Din al-Hilali, have been banned from talking to the media by Muslim leaders for delivering “anti-Australian” messages.

The Lebanese Muslim Association has gagged the imams from Lakemba Mosque in Sydney’s southwest from media commentary - especially to Arabic news outlets - because of the “immeasurable damage” they have caused the community. A letter was yesterday sent by the Lebanese Muslim Association to its five imams, including Sheik Yahya Safi - the official Australian representative to the Mufti of Lebanon - Sheik Shady Suleiman, and Sheik Hilali.

The letter, obtained by The Australian, demands the imams “pause and desist” from talking to any media outlet, in particular Sydney’s Arabic community radio station Voice of Islam. The imams have been told they could lose their positions as spiritual leaders at the nation’s largest mosque if they defy the LMA’s orders.

LMA president Tom Zreika yesterday told The Australian the letter was issued to end the “perceived un-Australian viewpoints given by some clerics”.

“One of the big issues is the double-speak by the various imams,” Mr Zreika said. He added that the messages some clerics delivered in Arabic contradicted comments given in English while talking to the mainstream media.

Notice that the Lebanese Muslim Association is especially concerned with stopping these radical sheikhs from talking to Arab media. That’s because when they’re speaking to the ummah, they’re much more open about their support for terrorism and jihad. Here’s one example, featuring Al-Hilali on Arabic radio last October: Rape Sheikh Praised Jihad.

UPDATE at 3/9/07 12:14:10 pm:

The stifled sheikhs are seething: Media ban ‘defies freedom of speech’.

MUSLIM leaders are outraged that an Islamic organisation has gagged some of the nation’s clerics from talking to the media, saying the move defies “freedom of speech”.

Sydney’s Islamic community yesterday also attacked the allegations made by the Lebanese Muslim Association that some of its five clerics, including the controversial Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali, were delivering “anti-Australian” comments on Arabic radio.

Abrahim Zoabi, program manager of Sydney’s Arabic community radio station Voice of Islam, said the LMA allegations were “absolutely wrong”. He said none of the LMA’s clerics had delivered anti-Australian messages, but instead reaffirmed their commitment to the nation by encouraging listeners to uphold Australian laws.

“The clerics come on the station and ask of the community to respect this country, and to uphold the laws,” he said.