NSW: Muslim cleric sues Sydney paper over terrorist accusations

AAP General News (Australia)
02-12-2007
NSW: Muslim cleric sues Sydney paper over terrorist accusations

A muslim cleric .. who's suing The Daily Telegraph over a series of articles linking
him to terrorists .. has made his first court appearance.

Cleric ANWAR AL BARQ was the centre of controversy in 2005 .. after the NSW Department
of Corrective Services banned him from working as a prison chaplain.

It followed a discovery he had been using a false name to conceal his criminal record
.. which included periods in jail in both the United States and Australia.

But in three newspaper articles published on November 16 .. 17 and 18 of that year
.. the Sydney paper claimed he had links to some of the world's most dangerous terrorist
groups.

It also reported he was in regular contact with two former inmates .. who were facing
trial in Jordan for an alleged terror attack.

Mr AL BARQ's lawyer .. Barrister CLIVE EVATT .. says the series of articles contained
inflammatory allegations against his client.

Mr EVATT says it's up to the four person jury to decide whether the articles had injured
Mr AL BARQ'S reputation in the community and as a cleric.

The hearing continues.

AAP RTV ab/klw/nc/bart

KEYWORD: AL BARQ (SYDNEY)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.