Faith leaders unite after antisemitic terror attack
Sky correspondent in Sydney
In Sydney this week leading rabbis, imams and archbishops came together to condemn the Bondi terrorist attack and support each other during this crisis.
Speaking from Sydney's St Andrew’s Cathedral, Bishop Michael Stead said:
"It was a powerful moment just to be in the room and see Muslim sheikhs hugging rabbis and vice versa. We tend not to do that kind of thing most of the time."
 Bishop Michael Stead
In Western Sydney, Sheikh Shadi Alsuleiman is one of the country's most high-profile Imams.
He said: "When I first saw the rabbis yesterday... I reassured them that while this is a targeted attack on the Jewish community, it is an attack on all of us."
"There will be a retribution towards the Muslim community, we've been experiencing this for the last two decades," Sheikh Shadi warned.
 Sheikh Shadi Alsuleiman
The gunmen were from Muslim backgrounds.
So too was the hero, Ahmed al Ahmed, who bravely confronted one of the shooters, tackling the gun from him and saving countless Jewish lives.
Police say the shooters were "inspired" by ISIS, or the Islamic State terrorist group.
The back window of the gunmen's car was covered with an ISIS flag.
"I thought ISIS was done and dusted. I thought it was long gone," Sheikh Shadi said.
Back inside the cathedral it is quiet and calm. A place to go and think about what has happened in Australia this week.
Near the entrance, I met Aarti Jaya Raj, she says she is "devastated" by the attack.
"I've brought all my brothers to that beach and it's close to my heart... it's a place where we heal, not hurt." |
