Sheik Hilaly rushed to hospital after collapsing in Mosque
CONTROVERSIAL cleric Sheik Taj al-Din al-Hilaly has been taken to hospital after fainting at Lakemba Mosque. NSW Police Inspector David Donohue said the sheik was taken to hospital shortly after 1pm (AEST). He did not know his condition but said officers accompanied him to hospital.
Outside the mosque, Lebanese Muslim Association president Tom Zreika would not confirm the sheik had fainted. He said that "due to unforeseen circumstances, we were unable to continue our private meeting" with the sheik. "He's okay," Mr Zreika said.
An AAP reporter at the mosque said officers drew an orange plastic tarpaulin across the driveway at the mosque to block the ambulance from the view of waiting media. It left through a through a rear entrance to the mosque.
Sheik Hilaly took ill late last week after sparking controversy over his comments in a sermon which compared immodestly dressed women to uncovered pieces of meat. He has a history of past medical trouble and suffers from asthma.
Posted by: Oztralian 2006-10-30 |