Keysar Trad

Keysar Trad is a spokesperson for a section of the Australian Muslim community.

Background

Trad was born in Lebanon and came to Australia at the age of thirteen under the Australian government's family reunion program. He met and married his wife, Hanifeh, when he was in his early twenties. They live in south-west Sydney and have nine children. cite web | url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/10/01/1033283486605.html | title=Islam's man of a million comments | publisher=Sydney Morning Herald | date=October 2 2002 | first=Deborah | last=Cameron | accessdate=2007-12-05]

After a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1987, Trad decided to become a much stricter Muslim, rather than to follow the more liberal form of Islam that he observed around him in Lebanon and Australia. Trad began to take an active role at the Lakemba Mosque in Sydney shortly thereafter.

Career

Trad is well known for his former role as an interpreter and spokesperson for Sheik Taj El-Din Hilaly. ["Mufti Mixes Motives" by Andrew Bolt in the Herald Sun 11 May, 2005. ]

He is also an author, having released several books.

After leaving the Lebanese Muslim Association, Trad founded his own organisation, the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia Inc (IFAA).

Controversy

Trad has become a highly controversial figure in Australia due to many of his activities, comments and views on matters relating to Islam:

* He once translated some articles for "Nidal ul Islam", the magazine of an Australian-based group called the 'Islamic Youth Movement', of which Bilal Khazal was once a member. [cite news | url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/11/08/1068243303361.html | title=Khazal gave money to bomber suspect | publisher=Sun Herald | date=November 9 2003 | first=Sarah | last=Smiles | accessdate=2007-12-05] The group has since been investigated for alleged terrorism-related offences.
* In 2005 he said, "The criminal dregs of white society colonised this country and...the descendents of these criminal dregs tell us that they are better than us." [cite web | url=http://www.icjs-online.org/index.php?eid=916&ICJS=2394&article=689 | title=It’s time to think | first=Andrew | last=Bolt | authorlink=Andrew Bolt | publisher=Herald Sun (copy on ICJS research web site) | date=December 14 2005 | accessdate=2007-12-05]
* Despite publicly stating that he rejects terrorism, Trad's refusal to criticise some terrorist groups, such as Hezbollah, has led to allegations that he is not sincere in encouraging Muslims to reject it. In addition, his frequent criticism of Israel has led to many accusations that he is anti-Semitic. Moreover, in August 2006, shortly after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was agreed to in order to end conflict, Trad and Hilaly wrote to the Lebanese Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, urging him to reject Australian peacekeepers. [ cite news | url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,,20109896-5005961,00.html | title=Lebanon asked to reject Australian troops | publisher=Herald Sun | date=August 12 2006 | accessdate=2007-12-05]
* He offended many moderate Muslims, as well as some Australians of Turkish background, when he alleged "Atatürk was in fact an opponent of the practice of Islam" [cite news | url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/costello-a-fool-over-turkey-speech/2006/09/23/1158431949658.html | title=Costello a 'fool' over Turkey speech | publisher=The Age | date=September 24 2006 | first=Jason | last=Koutsoukis | accessdate=2007-12-05] when responding to Australian Treasurer Peter Costello's speech [cite news | url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20461883-601,00.html | title=Turkey a Muslim model: Costello | title=The Australian | date=September 23 2006 | first=Samantha | last=Maiden | accessdate=2007-12-05] suggesting Modern Turkey as a model for Islamic countries.
* Throughout his years as Hilaly's spokesperson, Trad has been heavily criticised - and satirised - for continually defending Hilaly with his insistence that Hilaly has been taken out of context or misunderstood. For example, following the comments made by Hilaly in October 2006 which said that if a woman is raped it is usually her own fault, Trad said that Hilaly was talking about adultery, not rape. [cite news | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200610/s1774182.htm | title=Community leaders condemn Al Hilaly's comments | date=October 26 2006 | publisher=ABC | accessdate=2007-12-04] Sydney Morning Herald Columnist Paul Sheehan accused him of lying. [cite web | url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/sheik-tries-to-lie-his-way-out-of-trouble/2006/10/29/1162056864793.html | title=Sheik tries to lie his way out of trouble | first=Paul | last=Sheehan | authorlink=Paul Sheehan (journalist) | publisher=Sydney Morning Herald | date=October 30 2006 | accessdate=2007-12-05]
* In response to comments made by Sheik Hilaly on Egyptian TV, Trad once again suggested he was being quoted out of context.

References

External links

* [http://www.speednet.com.au/~keysar/ Islamic Friendship Association]
* [http://www.zip.com.au/~josken/52.htm Trad on Gays and Lesbians]
* [http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2002/520/520p8.htm Letters to Green Left Weekly] Green Left Weekly, 11 December, 2002. Trad replying to allegations about comments relating to homosexuals.
* [http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/relrpt/stories/s1233723.htm Keysar Trad on an alternative Australian Muslim leadership] The Religion Report, Radio National, 20 October, 2004