Islamic group outraged by Scott Morrison’s comments

Scott Morrison’s comments following the Bourke Street terror attack have outraged Australian imams, who accused him of politicising the tragedy.

The moment Hassan Khalif Shire Ali attacked police.

The prime minister’s comments following the Bourke Street terror attack have outraged Australian imams, who accused him of politicising the tragedy.

The attack that left one man dead and two others injured was condemned by the Australian National Imams Council, which called it a national tragedy.

But the council said it was “outraged” by the Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s recent comments linking Islam to a radical and dangerous ideology.

“It is extremely disappointing in such difficult times and during a national tragedy, when all Australians of all faiths and backgrounds should be called upon to unite and stand together against any form of extremism and violence, to see our nation’s leader politicising this incident and using it for political gain,” a statement released on Sunday said.

Mr Morrison said he needed to “call out” radical, violent and extremist Islam after the attack in Melbourne.

“But here in Australia, we would be kidding ourselves if we did not call out the fact that the greatest threat of religious extremism in this country is the radical and dangerous ideology of extremist Islam,” Mr Morrison said on Saturday.

Hassan Khalif Shire Ali, who was known to authorities for his radical views, parked a four-wheel drive laden with gas cylinders on Bourke St on Friday and stabbed three men, one fatally.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison responds to a terrorist attack in Melbourne's Bourke Street on Friday. Picture: AAP Image/Ben Rushton

Police said the Somalia-born Shire Ali, 30, had planned to cause an explosion.

On Saturday, Mr Morrison condemned extremist Islam, calling it “the greatest threat of religious extremism in this country”, and said religious leaders needed to act to protect their communities.

“They must be proactive, they must be alert and they must call this out in their communities.” He said the government and the wider community had to work with them.

Italian restaurateur Sisto Malaspina, 74, was killed by Shire Ali, while the two other victims are recovering in hospital.

Shire Ali was shot in the chest by a police officer he had threatened with a knife and died in hospital.

Federal police said the attacker had his passport cancelled in 2015 amid fears he would go to Syria.

It was believed he was inspired by Islamic State rather than having direct links with the organisation.