3 April 2008

Ms J Summerhayes, Editorial Counsel

Nationwide News Pty Limited

2 Holt Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Dear Ms Summerhayes,

Seeking Redress

I am writing to you regarding an inaccurate article published on Wednesday 2 April 2008 in “The Australian”:

1. The article says: “Sheikh Haron claims to be the country’s senior Shia Muslim leader”. I have never claimed that I am the country’s senior Muslim leader. I have no idea where you have seen or heard such a claim. I am not aware of that, I have claimed that I am a small soldier, even I am not sure I will be accepted by God as a small soldier, it depends how much I will fight with oppression and how pure will be my intention for God, but I have never claimed that I was a Muslim leader. As you see on my website and my letterhead I claim I am an Australian Muslim cleric. The article has inaccurately reported about my claim, so I respectfully request you that a correcting article be published.

2. The article has labelled me as “Shia”. In the classes I have had in Australia, in my speeches for Australian Muslims, in my letters, on my website everywhere I have requested Muslims to call themselves “Muslim”, and to call their religion “Islam”, and to avoid any other names such as “Shiah” etc. I have also emphasised on my website and requested people not to call me “Shiah” or any other name but “Muslim”. Unfortunately “The Australian” for the second time announces that I am a “Shia”. Some Muslims who have read the articles have asked me if I have changed my belief and idea, I answered that I had not changed my belief and this “label” might have been just a mistake which had been published in “The Australian”.

This matter is misleading public particularly Muslims, so I respectfully request you that a correcting article be published.

3. The article claims that no one in the local Shia community has met me. This claim is not true and it is misleading and defamatory statement. How could it be possible that no one from local Mulim community had met a Muslim cleric while he had speeches for them in Sydney? How could it be possible that no one from local Muslim community had met a Muslim cleric when he had classes and local Muslim students in Australia? How could it be possible that no one from local Muslim community had met a Muslim cleric who had a protest in both Perth and Sydney in front of Parliament House? How could it be possible that no one from local Muslim community had met a Muslim cleric who has a petition signed by few thousands Australians (both Muslims and non-Muslims) in Macquarie Street in Sydney to express their support for him? I recommend “Nationwide News Pty Ltd” to report base on reliable sources, also I remind you that if few people don’t know a person it doesn’t mean that no one knows the person, so I recommend “Nationwide News Pty Ltd” not to jump to the conclusion quickly, and try to spend more time to find the truth to be able to report accurately. You claim that no one from local Muslim community has met a Muslim cleric while you can clearly see on his website the photograph of one his speeches in Sydney and the audience. Those Muslims audience are not from overseas, they are from local Muslim community. So when “The Australian” can see the evidence why does it still insist on defamatory statement? I like to know why “Nationwide News Pty Ltd” doesn’t consider fairness and balance in its reports about Muslims? I respectfully request you that a correcting article be published. I am hoping your correcting article will contain the truth and balance with honesty.

4. The article says: “...claiming Liberal Party supporters are firebombing businesses around the country to discredit the Muslim community”. This is not true. The reasons for firebombing by Liberal Party supporters have been mentioned in my letter of 26 November 2007, it is not just about discrediting Muslim community.

I prefer you to publish this letter as a redress and balance, but if you don’t like to do so, at least please correct the above issues.

Kind regards

Sheikh Haron