22 April 2016

Grand mufti sues News Corp's Daily Telegraph for defamation

The grand mufti of Australia is suing Sydney’s Daily Telegraph for defamation over two stories and a front page it ran in the aftermath of the Paris terrorist attacks depicting him as the three “unwise” monkeys.

A statement of claim was filed in the New South Wales supreme court on Friday alleging the News Corp tabloid had suggested Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed was “an apologist for the terrorist attacks in Paris”, a supporter of “violent Islamic holy war” and had deliberately refused to attend a vigil after the attacks, among other claims.

The newspaper’s front page on 18 November depicted Mohammed, the most senior Sunni Muslim scholar in Australia, in three poses covering his eyes, ears and mouth, with the caption: “Sees no problems, hears no concerns, speaks no English.” [The Guardian] Read more