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Down Under
Chaos in Australia's top Islamic umbrella group
2008-05-24
...the trouble continued, according to some AFIC members, who said that on Monday some of the new executive stormed the AFIC headquarters at Alexandria, in Sydney's inner south, drilling through the doors to gain access to the building, terrorising women staff and demanding electronic passwords of the bank accounts...
A takeover of the nation's peak Muslim organisation has sparked the appointment of a receiver-manager for the second time in two years to run the affairs of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils.

Following a coup last week deposing Ikebal Patel and his executive team, the former AFIC president has taken legal action in the NSW Supreme Court seeking reinstatement, alleging the removal was unconstitutional. After a brief hearing on Thursday, the court appointed a receiver-manager to run the federation until the matter comes back to court in July.

It is the second time in two years that the organisation has been put under the control of a receiver and had its substantial accounts frozen.

AFIC's new interim president, Haset Sali, said yesterday he and his colleagues hoped to resolve the matter quickly and hold fresh elections as soon as possible to prevent "further legal bunfights".

The organisation has been racked by controversy over its financial dealings and by disputes over its April 2006 elections, when a group of Pakistanis took control of the organisation from a faction controlled by Fijian-Indians.
Trouble flared last weekend at the annual congress of AFIC, the umbrella organisation representing the key state Muslim bodies, with security guards attempting to prevent some AFIC members from entering the meeting. Guards were also called to remove Mr Patel from the meeting after a vote of no confidence in him and his executive team. Some members complained to The Weekend Australian they were subjected to "thuggery and strong-arm tactics". After the congress passed a vote of no confidence in Mr Patel and his executive, a new executive team was appointed for 180 days until fresh elections could beheld.

But the trouble continued, according to some AFIC members, who said that on Monday some of the new executive stormed the AFIC headquarters at Alexandria, in Sydney's inner south, drilling through the doors to gain access to the building, terrorising women staff and demanding electronic passwords of the bank accounts. Police were called, and escorted the women out of the building.

AFIC, which aims to uphold Islamic standards in Australia, derives most of its income from rent on land that houses Muslim schools across the country and the certification of halal food. It has an annual budget of about $20 million, bank accounts holding $6 million in cash, and assets worth about $50 million.

The organisation has been racked by controversy over its financial dealings and by disputes over its April 2006 elections, when a group of Pakistanis took control of the organisation from a faction controlled by Fijian-Indians. AFIC was previously forced into administration in September 2006 after months of internal brawling, and its bankers, Westpac, then froze the federation's accounts.
Posted by:Seafarious

#1  Barbarians.
Posted by: gromky   2008-05-24 03:52  

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