Bankstown prayer centre run by Wissam Haddad to be shuttered

A council in Sydney’s south-west has moved to shut down an illegal prayer hall run by a censured preacher.

The City of Canterbury-Bankstown announced on Tuesday it had moved to shutter the Al Madina Dawah Centre run by Wissam Haddad.

It is understood 24-year-old Naveed Akram, who is charged over an alleged terror attack that killed 15 people at Bondi Beach, was said to be a frequent visitor to the centre.

Mr Haddad made headlines earlier this year when a court ordered him to remove a series of lectures found to contain “fundamentally racist and anti-Semitic” material.

The material was found to have breached the Racial Discrimination Act in action launched by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.

In his judgment, Justice Angus Stewart said the speeches carried imputations that Jewish people were “very mischievous”, that Jewish people “control the media”, and that “their supporters are murdering cowards”, among other serious, anti-Semitic claims.

At the time, Mr Haddad’s lawyer claimed the speeches were derived in substance from religious texts, including the Koran, and did not refer to Australian Jewish people.

The council’s regulatory and compliance team issued a “cease use” directive on Haddad late on Monday following surveillance of the “illegal prayer hall”.

In a statement, the council said a review of records dating back to 1970 revealed it had never had approval to operate as a prayer hall and was only recently being approved to operate as a medical centre.

A council spokesman said the change of use from a medical centre to a prayer hall or place of worship required development consent, which had not been sought and was therefore unauthorised.

“Our recent surveillance indicates there is a strong suspicion the premises is being used contrary to its intended use,” the spokesman said.

“We have issued the cease use notices which will be effective immediately.

“There are no compromises, and we will be taking further action if they don’t comply.”

The order was not the first time Mr Haddad had been ordered to shut down a premises due to it being unauthorised to conduct prayer meetings.

On December 18, 2023, the council issued a separate cease use directive for using premises in Eldon St in Georges Hall, which only had approval to operate as a gym.

The council said Mr Haddad had continued to operate the site and was issued another notice and ultimately it was shut down.

A spokesman said council had investigated claims in May Mr Haddad had been preaching from the Al Madina Dawah Centre, and carried out surveillance.

“Despite no complaints from nearby residents, we continued to conduct ongoing surveillance of the premises, and we now have the photographic evidence to suspect the centre is being used contrary to what it has been approved for,” they said.

“Council needs to make it clear that we have no control over what is preached inside these ‘illegal’ prayer halls and our role is to ensure the premises are used in accordance with their authorised use.

“We will continue to monitor the centre and will be taking further action if necessary.”

The council was working with Bankstown Police and the NSW Government, who they said had offered support and assistance in shutting down like premises.

Non-compliance could result in a penalty infringement notice of $3000 for an individual or $6000.

Premier Chris Minns said he supported the actions of council.

“There is no place for hate speech in NSW which is why we are supporting all action to clamp down on those inciting hate, and we will not stop,” he said.

“We are ready to make significant changes to prevent hate preachers or anyone else inciting violence in our communities.”

The shutdown comes in the wake of a terror attack on Bondi Beach, which authorities allege has links to radical Islam.

Mr Haddad earlier denied through a lawyer to media outlets “any knowledge of or involvement in the shootings that took place at Bondi Beach”.

There is no suggestion he had knowledge of or was involved in the attack.

A lawyer who represented Mr Haddad has been contacted for comment.