Australian Islamic group slams ‘weakest charges’ laid after AK-47 threat at mosque
Australian Muslim Advocacy Network criticizes police for laying ‘weakest possible’ charges against man who threatened worshippers with gun
BRISBANE, Australia (MNTV) — Australian Muslim leaders have demanded answers as to why a man who threatened worshippers with an AK-47 has not been charged under Queensland’s tougher new hate crime laws, reports news.com.au.
The 33-year-old Brisbane man was arrested soon after the incident on Sunday and charged with disturbing a place of worship and creating a public nuisance.
Mosque director Kambiz Koshan told media that about 11am on Sunday a man allegedly entered the building and told people he had an AK-47 in his car outside; worshippers then chased him away.
The Queensland government toughened penalties for crimes based on religious hatred in 2024.
The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network have written to the state’s Acting Police Commissioner asking why the 33-year-old faces “only low-level charges”.
“Queensland strengthened its hate crime legislation precisely for incidents like this,” a spokesperson for the Islamic association said.
“We are struggling to understand how a man allegedly threatening mosque worshippers while claiming to have an assault rifle nearby does not meet the threshold for hate-based aggravation or more serious criminal charges.”
In a statement, Queensland Police said the charges against the alleged offender “were determined based on the evidence gathered during the investigation”.
“After careful consideration, the charges of public nuisance and disturbance of a place of worship were deemed the most appropriate under the circumstances,” a spokesman said. “As this matter is now before the court, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
The office of Queensland’s Police Minister Dan Purdie declined to comment.
The alleged incident happened at the Masjid Taqwa in Bald Hills in Brisbane’s north.
The Muslim advocacy network says attendees at the mosque on Sunday were left shaken by “an unmistakable act of religious intimidation”.
The organization says more serious charges should have been laid, including threatening violence under section 75 of the Criminal Code and intimidation at a place of worship under section 206A.
“Instead, police chose the weakest available charges and failed to apply hate crime provisions that parliament specifically introduced to protect vulnerable religious communities,” the spokesperson said.
“This decision risks sending a dangerous message to Muslim communities about whose safety is taken seriously.”
The man charged over Sunday’s incident is scheduled to front the Brisbane Magistrates Court on May 22.
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