Австралиялық мұсылман өкілі: Кесар Традтың өмірі мен қызметі

Australian Muslim spokesman

Keysar Trad is the founder of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia and is the former president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils. After a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1987, Trad decided to become a much stricter Muslim, rather than to follow the more liberal form of Islam that he observed around him in Lebanon and Australia. Trad began to take an active role at the Lakemba Mosque in Sydney shortly thereafter. He is also an author, having released several books. After leaving the Lebanese Muslim Association, Trad founded his own organisation, the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia Inc (IFAA). Following the actions of an Australian suicide bomber, who had killed at least five people and injured up to 90, Trad said, "I have always been opposed to suicide bombing. I'm opposed to any form of senseless taking of human life". Trad has entertained the possibility of becoming a candidate for both the Labor Party and for the Liberal Party. Because of his background Senator Bernardi has raised concerns saying, "Mr Keysar Trad is wholly unsuitable to be a member of parliament". In July 2016 Trad was elected President of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils following the standing down of the previous President.

Around the time of the 2005 Cronulla riots, Sydney commercial radio station 2GB broadcast comments by Alan Jones and Jason Morrison on Lebanese Muslims in Sydney. In the aftermath of the Cronulla riots, a rally was held in Hyde Park on 18 December 2005 in the centre of Sydney, attended by some 5,000 people. Keysar Trad attended the rally and spoke about "the suffering of Muslims in Australia" as a result of "predominantly one radio station" which the crowd identified as 2GB. The next day, 2GB ran an 11 minute broadcast with Jason Morrison that included a recording of the rally, as well as a talk back section. Keysar Trad commenced legal proceedings against Harbour Radio, the operator of 2GB, for alleged defamation during the 11 minute broadcast on 19 December 2005. The plaintiff alleged eight defamatory imputations of comments made in the broadcast under the Defamation Act 1974, and Harbour Radio defended the comments under Sections 15 and 16 of the act which provide a legal defense if "imputation is a matter of substantial truth" and "either relates to a matter of public interest or is published under qualified privilege." Supreme Court justice Peter McClellan ruled against the plaintiff. The claim has gone to the High Court of Australia, and the New South Wales Court of Appeal. In 2015 the matter was resolved by the High Court of Australia and he was forced to pay $290,000 in damages. In a separate case, Trad won a defamation action against the same radio station and was awarded $10,000.