AMCRAN

There appears to be some disunity in the Australian Government's Muslim Community Reference Group over Canberra's proposed new anti-terror laws.

The president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, Dr Ameer Ali, had announced that the Group unanimously supported the laws and assured they would include enough safeguards.

But another member of the group, the president of the Islamic Council of Victoria, Malcolm Thomas, has released a statement arguing the safeguards were not unanimously accepted.

Doctor Waleed Kadous from the Australian Muslim Civil Rights Advocacy Network says there are members of the group who have continuing concerns.

And they expressed concerns that these laws will have an impact on the muslim community as well as all of Australia, unfortunately Ameer Ali may not be in touch with the grass roots and may not have seen the effects of existing legislation the way that we have and so I think he may be more willing to put forward a position without going
back to his community and consulting them.

ABC Radio, 8 October 2005