A controversial UK-based Islamic preacher who has praised Hitler and spouted extremist antisemitic remarks has been deported from Australia, midway through his speaking tour.
Bengali citizen Mizanur Rahman Azhari was in Australia for a national tour organised by Islamic Practice and Dawah Circle and was due to speak at events in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra this week.
Mr Azhari has previously delivered sermons praising Hitler’s actions as “divine punishment” against Jews and made other antisemitic remarks, describing Jews as a “poisonous blemish” and “the biggest terrorists in the world.”
Liberal Senator Jonno Duniam said the controversial figure was granted a visa by the government to enter Australia, after he had been banned from entering the UK and was being monitored by authorities in his own country.
“In his home country of Bangladesh, the government accused him of promoting extremist ideologies and being sympathetic to extremist Islamist groups.
“The police were instructed in that country to monitor the content of his gatherings because of the divisive nature and, hatred that was spread through what he was doing.
“There’s a … litany of examples of anti-Semitic hate speech, his maligning of the Hindu religion, demonising of the Bengali culture.
“Despite all of this, and all of it on public record, he has been granted a visa to come here.”
NewsWire understands the Department of Home Affairs cancelled Mr Azhari’s visa on Tuesday and he is currently waiting to be deported from Australia.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Mr Azhari’s visa has been revoked after Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke was asked to immediately remove him by community group Australian Federation for Ethnic and Religious Minorities in Bangladesh.
He was stopped from boarding a flight to the UK where he was attending an Islamic conference in 2021.
The Bangladesh government also banned Mr Azhari from speaking at congregations over his controversial remarks.
