BBC Puff Piece on Rape-Excusing Australian Imam

In the limited reporting of the Australian Imam who justified gang rape, almost no mention has been made of the fact that this is only the most recent of a series of nearly identical comments by imams. Here is but one example:

Copenhagen Mufti Declares Women who Refuse to Wear Headscarves are "Asking for Rape"

As a result, there is an unreported epidemic of Arab Muslim gang rape occuring, primarily in Europe. See here for an absolute must-read. As usual the mainstream media's response is two-pronged: ignore the story and propagandize on behalf of those Muslims who have been exposed. This puff piece from the BBC is a case in point:

A few weeks ago, I happened to interview Sheikh Taj el-Din al-Hilali outside the Lakemba Mosque in Sydney where he delivered his controversial sermon.

A softly-spoken man, who clearly commands both enormous respect and affection within his community, the Egyptian-born cleric discussed the government?s recent proposals for an Australian citizenship test - an examination which many Muslim immigrants believe is targeted at them.

His English is poor, and it was difficult at times to make out precisely what he was saying.

But he told me he was keen to encourage the greater use of English in mosques and for Imams to gain a much greater understanding of Australian history and culture.

Though he did not agree with Prime Minister John Howard?s contentious view that sections of the 300,000-strong Muslim community are not doing enough to integrate themselves into the mainstream of Australian society, he seemed prepared at least to address the criticism in a constructive way.

Sheikh Hilali referred more than once to the idea of ?the Aussie imam?, as he called it - model clerics with a broad knowledge of Australian culture and history.

Neat, snappy and eminently quotable. Just the kind of epithet which sticks in a journalist?s mind.

Update: Here is another extreme statement in today's news:

UK Muslim Cleric 'Backs Execution of Gays'

And of course, 5,000 congregants screamed their support for the imam as Relaxed Sheik Gets Rock Star Treatment