On Friday we noted that the leader of Australia’s Shi’ite community had proudly expressed his support for Hizballah, officially designated as a terrorist entity by the Australian government.

Today The Australian reports that it’s not just the 30,000 Shi’ites who openly support Hizballah—it’s all Australian Muslims, Sunnis included: Aussie Muslims unite against Israel.

AUSTRALIA’S Sunni Muslims have pushed aside ideological differences with their Shia counterparts to form a united front against Israel and declare their support for the Iranian-backed terrorist network Hezbollah.

The unity among the two Muslim sects, which have been at war with each other for centuries, comes as the nation’s Jewish community accuses top Shia spiritual leader Kamal Mousselmani of creating hatred towards Jews by calling Israel a “terrorist” state and expressing his allegiance to Hezbollah militants. The Howard Government yesterday also accused Sheik Mousselmani of sending the wrong message to his followers through his adverse views on Israel.

Sunni Muslim leader and community spokesman Keysar Trad yesterday said his sect largely championed Sheik Mousselmani’s support for Hezbollah (Party of God), which was revealed by The Weekend Australian.

“Sunnis outside of Lebanon, yes, they still have a great deal of respect for Hezbollah,” he said.

“I don’t believe that Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation,” he said. “I agree with (Mousselmani) that the state of Israel has … consistently engaged in acts of terror which have brought a great deal of pain to the poor Palestinian population and the Lebanese population.”

The new mufti of Australia, Sunni spiritual leader Fehmi Naji el-Imam, last year called Hezbollah militants “freedom fighters” during an anti-war rally in Melbourne.

UPDATE at 6/24/07 2:08:27 pm:

This comes as three Australian Muslims are arrested in Lebanon with suspected ties to Hizballah.

A SYDNEY accountant is believed to be among three Australians arrested in Lebanon over suspected links to an Islamic terrorist group.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed last night three men were arrested in Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-largest city, over the past few days.

One of the men is believed to be Ibrahim Sabouh, an accountant from Auburn in Sydney’s west who moved to Lebanon with his wife and three children a year ago. …

Some reports say the men may have links with the Islamic political and paramilitary group Hezbollah.

(Hat tip: Gateway Pundit.)