Mosque in Sydney increases security after receiving threats
Lakemba mosque seeks to add four loudspeakers to its minaret to broadcast call to prayers on Fridays
SYDNEY, Australia (MNTV) – A mosque in Sydney, Australia, has increased security, installing extra CCTV cameras, following threats linked to a proposal by the Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA), reports IQNA.
The Lakemba mosque seeks to add four loudspeakers to its minaret to broadcast the call to prayers on Fridays.
LMA secretary Gamel Kheir said what began as a routine development application had escalated into a highly charged dispute, with abusive messages flooding in.
“There have been objections which are, in the worst-case scenario, purely based on Islamophobia,” he said.
He added that the rhetoric often repeats the unfounded notion that “Muslims are taking over the place” and that the call to prayer is linked to a “terrorist threat.”
The mosque has faced threats since the 9/11 attacks, Kheir noted, but said the latest messages were “on another level.”
He also pointed out that many objectors do not live in the area and questioned why church bells elsewhere in Sydney attract no similar backlash.
Kheir said the LMA is in discussions with the local council about providing noise assessments.
He emphasized that the call to prayer would only be broadcast for midday prayers on Fridays.
According to the LMA’s application, the broadcast would “foster a sense of unity and shared faith” for many residents and serve as a “familiar and comforting sound” marking daily life.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
