Names are being named in Australia, in the wake of the attacks in the UK, and the realization that there’s a serious problem with militant Islam down under as well: Hardline Muslim clerics in Australia named.

A NUMBER of Australian Muslim clerics have been identified as key hardliners who are preaching fundamentalist messages.

National security sources told The Australian they were aware of at least 10 hardline clerics around Australia who were propagating a Wahabi ideology espoused by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

They include Sheik Bilal Dannoun, Melbourne-based Mohammed Omran and Harun Mehicivic; Sydney’s Abdul Salam Mohammed Zoud, Hatim Eissa, Khaled Eissa and Feiz Mohammed and Canberra’s Mohammed Swaiti.

Sheik Bilal yesterday said claims revealed in The Australian that the Wahabi clerics were potentially radicalising up to 3000 Sydney youths were “preposterous”. He said while he was not a part of Sheik Omran and Sheik Zoud’s fundamentalist Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jammah association, he rejected claims the pair were radical.

“These are people who follow the Koran and Sunnah – they follow the teachings of Islam,” Sheik Bilal told the newspaper.

“And if following the teachings of Islam, following the way of the Prophet is called radical, then… call us radicals.”

(Hat tip: aussiemagpie.)