A radical Islamic preacher is leading efforts to build a massive Muslim “sanctuary” in Melbourne that will include four schools, a mosque, and aged care facilities.
Registered charity Islamic Information and Services Network of Australasia (IISNA) has already acquired about 13 hectares of land in Mickleham on the city’s northern outskirts where it plans to build the $6.9 million complex.
Sheik Abu Hamza, also known as Samir Mohtadi, described the project as a “sanctuary where generations will grow in faith” on the IISNA Facebook page, and the charity said it has already raised $4.8 million.
According to the IISNA website, the MyCentre Mickleham development will include a primary school, separate boys and girls high schools, retirement living, an aged care centre, a mosque, a community hall, a special needs school and sporting facilities.
Hume City Council is yet to approve the development.
In a sermon last week at the Australian Bosnian Islamic Centre in Melbourne’s west Sheik Mohtadi told worshippers they did not need to adopt Australian values as long as they had their own, and accused the government of waging a war of “no God”, The Australian reported.
“There’s a war at the moment that exists in this country which is much more dangerous than the war in Gaza. Within this country, we need to understand that the war that exists here, which is much more dangerous, is the war of no God,” he said.
“They want to instil in our minds that God does not exist. So this is a war of intellect … They want to convey this message through organisations, through governments, so me and you doubt Allah. They want us to doubt Allah, to doubt the Day of Judgment, to doubt the prophet.”
Sheik Mohtadi also spoke about local councils no longer beginning proceedings with a prayer, warning worshippers that “they want to distance Allah away from our lives, and that’s why the majority of people are in a state of loss”.
In another video posted on social media Sheik Mohtadi condemned Israel and Zionism, and said “every righteous human being believes there is Palestine and there is no Israel”.
“I’ve always said and I’ve always believed that these Zionists are not normal … They are bloodsucking human beings … They’re scavengers. They are not humans, I swear by Allah,” he said.
Conservative commentator Kobie Thatcher spoke out about the plans on X on Tuesday, saying: “Every Aussie should be outraged.”
“Don’t come to our country and try to turn it into the one you left,” she wrote.
Header image: The planned Muslim sanctuary (IISNA).
