Police investigating threats against Sydney mosques

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Police have revealed they are investigating a second potential online threat this week, towards mosques in south-west Sydney. On Thursday Lakemba Mosque posted on Facebook that it had received a comment on its TikTok account that referenced the 2019 Christchurch massacre. This morning police said another mosque in neighbouring Padstow has also been threatened.

Transcript

00:00Here at the Lakemba Mosque in southwest Sydney, it's supposed to be a time of deep contemplation

00:07and expression of Islamic faith.

00:09However, it's been soured by online threats and apparent references to the Christchurch

00:14massacre on the mosque's official TikTok account.

00:18The Lebanese Muslim Association pointed out on Thursday through its social media channels

00:23that a comment had been made on Wednesday via one of its videos posted to TikTok.

00:28However, it seems to emerge that there's now other comments that have been made towards

00:32the Lebanese Muslim Association and the Lakemba Mosque right here regarding the Christchurch

00:37massacre, which saw 51 people, almost all of them Muslims, shot dead in Christchurch

00:43at mosques and their surrounds in 2019.

00:46Now, this threat has alarmed many online, but it's also been revealed by police today

00:53that they're looking at another instance and another threat made towards the neighbouring

00:58Padstone Mosque, again online.

01:00Well, during the course of the investigation into the Lakemba Mosque, we've actually identified

01:05a second threat that's come into the neighbouring Padstone Mosque.

01:09So our team out at the Camp C police area command are working with our engagement hate

01:14crime unit, the Counterterrorism Command, and the investigation is ongoing as we speak.

01:19The mayor of Canterbury-Bankstown, Bilal El Hayek, says there'll be an increased security

01:23presence here at the mosque this afternoon and evening, where there's expected to be

01:28hundreds in attendance for prayer services throughout the day.

01:31The LMA and the Lakemba Mosque will do a fantastic job.

01:34There'll be more police, there'll be more security, you know, resources put to make

01:38sure that the safety of the worshippers is first priority.

01:42The ABC spent some time here today and it's worth noting that while worshippers who have

01:47come to the mosque do note the fear they've felt over these online threats, as well as

01:52the noted rise in Islamophobia, as documented in recent research and reporting, they also

01:58were wanting to remain resolute in their faith.

02:02It's just a shame in this day and age that we can't get rid of it.

02:06There's good and bad people everywhere.

02:09You've just got to look on the bright side and we've all just got to stay strong and

02:14stay together.

02:15These threats, they make some fear in the community because this is no good this much.

02:21We all live together here, all Lakemba nights, going on the Ramadhan, we pray together, everything.

02:27These community concerns have been compounded by another alleged incident that took place

02:33earlier this month.

02:34In that instance, targeting the Masjid al-Bayt al-Islami site in Edmondson Park.

02:41There was a teenage boy in Western Australia charged over that incident after subsequent

02:46police investigations.

02:48As for these incidents currently under investigation by police, no one has been arrested or charged.

Category

Transcript

Recommended