Positive Change for Mosque

New imam for Canberra to shut out Saudis

1th February 2007, 14:28 WST

Canberra's peak Islamic body has appointed a new imam for the capital amid claims the Saudi Arabian government is dividing the local Muslim community through controversial payments to religious leaders.

AAP reported last month that Canberra's imam, who is also a full-time employee of the Australian Tax Office (ATO), had been accused by a faction of worshippers of misusing donations from the Saudi government's religious donation office.

Community members wrote to the ATO calling for an investigation into whether the former imam, Mohammed Swaiti, declared regular salary payments from the Saudi Arabian government.

The cash payments were said to be made in US dollars.
The imam last month and again on Wednesday declined to comment.

The letter to the ATO claimed that up to 20 imams around Australia received payments from the Saudi government.

Critics also distributed leaflets at the Canberra mosque - situated in the heart of Canberra's diplomatic precinct - alleging the imam was hoarding funds donated by the Saudis for the upkeep of the mosque.

The leaflet claimed the Islamic donation office of the Saudi embassy - or Dawaa office - was dividing Canberra's Muslim population by backing the imam against those unhappy with what had happened with the funds.

Sabre Poskovic, president of the ACT Islamic Society, said the body had appointed a new imam, Yasar Atay.
It is unclear what would happen to Mr Swaiti.

Mr Poskovic said the new imam would be paid by the Islamic society, not by the Saudi government.

He said a cleric could only truly claim to represent his community if he was paid by his community and he did not want the Saudi government interfering in the local mosque.
"Imams should be paid by the community," Mr Poskovic said.

AAP