Al-Furqan, an Islamic center which has been on the hot seat over alleged involvement with the Islamic State in Melbourne, Australia has been closed. The Australian Islamic center is said to have been attended by two men charged with terrorism-related crimes in the recent past.
The center on Wednesday announced its closure siting immense pressure especially from the media and politicians for its closure.
Last week Australian police arrested 5 teenagers in Melbourne, who were purportedly planning an ISIS-inspired attack on the Anzac Day holiday on April, 25. Among the five arrested 2 are believed to having attended this Australian Islamic Centre.
In a statement to the press the al-Furqan center announced, “This decision has not been taken lightly,” the center said, in a statement. “We believe that given the constant harassment, pressure and false accusations leveled against the Centre – particularly by media and politicians – this is the best course of action for the protection of the local community, its members, and the broader Muslim community that is often implicated in these insidious campaigns.”
The center has also been linked with huge IS recruiter Neil Prakash, commonly now known as Abu Khaled al-Cambodi who appeared in the latest IS propaganda video arguments young Muslim men in Australia to launch attacks at home.
Other attendees of the Australian Islamic Centre are Bosnian-born preacher Harun Mehicevic who has been charged with conspiracy to commit terrorist acts. Raids have been conducted on the center in a bid to arrest extremists with most recent being last week on Saturday.
The spokesman of al-Furqan the Islamic Center has vehemently denied any linkages with the Islamic State and condemned the media of negatively portraying the center in a negative light. He said the closure was to protect the Muslim community in Melbourne form wrongful accusation and victimization.
