Brothers of aggro - Carnita Matthews' minders linked to radical Muslim cleric
June 25, 2011
THE bearded and militant men who formed a security detail around Muslim woman Carnita Matthews at court this week are members of the self-styled Islamic Brotherhood Worldwide.
With the name of their organisation across their backs and aggression in their faces, community leaders say the men are students of radical cleric Sheik Feiz Mohammed, who has denounced
other religions in his sermons.
Carnita Matthews suporters charging media and pedestrians following her appeal been upheld.
Sources say the group is linked to the Bukhari Bookshop in Auburn, also a drop-in centre for Muslim youth and recently purchased by the radical sheik.
Sources say the group grew out of the Global Islamic Youth Centre in Liverpool which was founded in 2000 by Sheik Feiz, who has urged children to die for Islam.
The men flanked the niqab-wearing Ms Matthews at the District Court on Monday when her conviction and jail sentence for making a false racism complaint about the police officer who booked
her for a P-plate offence was overturned.
After kneeling en masse to pray, the men clashed with the media in noisy and aggressive scenes, prompting police intervention.
Matthews' lawyer Stephen Hopper said his client was not a radical.
"That could not be said about some of the people who are supporting her," Mr Hopper added.
The men wore matching black hoodies with the words "Islamic Brotherhood Worldwide" and "One Day One Flag". In Arabic is written: "There is no deity except Allah and Mohammed is a
messenger of Allah."
It was hardly a war cry, a Muslim leader said yesterday.
"They are worldwide only in their imagination," he said.
"Dressing like that is contrary to the Islamic teachings because it is not part of our tradition to wear the name of God on our clothing. It is grossly disrespectful."
Recent assessments by NSW Police show that Australian-born Sheik Feiz, who returned here late last year, does not warrant any serious investigation.
Racist rants have also been removed from public viewing on the Facebook page of a man who says he is Ms Matthews' partner.
He calls himself Hamdi Abu Ibrahim (Hamdi Father of Ibrahim) and his real name is Hamdi Alqudsi.
Both the Bukhari Bookshop and the GIYC denied any knowledge of the Islamic Brotherhood Worldwide.
The sheik was not available for comment.
"Everyone wears slogans. That doesn't make them a gang or a group," a spokesman for the GIYC said.
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