An extremist sheik who has called for Australia to become an Islamic state ruled by sharia law should be "slapped down" by moderate Muslims, according to a federal MP. The Australian head of extremist Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir, Sheik Ismail Al-Wahwah, suggested during a Christmas Eve sermon that jihad should be used to accomplish hardline teachings.
Queensland Liberal MP Steve Ciobo said the sheik should either adopt Australian values of tolerance and fair play for all or "pack up and ship off".
He said, "Frankly, we have had a gutful of people who deliberately incite hatred and people who want to overturn the foundation principles of this country. This Sheik Al-Wahwah needs to be slapped down from moderate Muslim supporters who recognise there is no place in Australia for these kinds of attitudes."
The sheik told his followers it was their duty to "carry the light of Islam to the rest of the world ... Not with flowers. It was the army of Muslims which started from Medina, and they went to China, India, and the Maghreb. That is jihad."
He said under an Islamic government, alcohol would be forbidden, a strict dress code enforced for all Australians and languages other than Arabic banned in schools.
Mr Ciobo said if Mr Al-Wahwah held dual citizenship the government should expedite his move to another country more to his liking.
He said, "I couldn't care less if he preaches to five people or 5000. It only takes one or two crazies to take his message of jihad and to cause problems.
"If he's going to preach a message that this country needs to be under sharia law then he should go to where he can live under sharia law - and that is not in Australia."