Age sorry to victim of snap slip

THE Age has donated $20,000 ­towards the building of a mosque as part of a settlement with the family of Abu Bakar Alam.

Andrew Holden with Abu Bakar Alam, second from left. Picture: Aaron Francis

THE Age has donated $20,000 ­towards the building of a mosque in Melbourne’s south east as part of a public apology and settlement with the family of Abu Bakar Alam, whose picture the newspaper published on its front page, mistakenly identifying him as a radical Islamist who had been shot dead by police after stabbing two officers.

Editor-in-chief Andrew Holden attempted to bar journalists from a meeting at the Doveton mosque to deliver the apology, but community members objected.

Mr Holden said the building fund donation was a gesture of good will and part of a final settlement with the family, the details of which haven’t been released.

“It was a terrible mistake and it was our mistake,” Mr Holden said inside the mosque, adding he understood the deep hurt caused to the family and broader community. Sitting listening was Mr Alam and his father, Sher, who later shook hands with Mr Holden with both sides smiling.

Community members who argued the meeting should be public also complained that the apology was originally to be held last Friday when about 300 community members usually attend, rather than the 40 at last night’s meeting. Mr Holden said the Friday meeting was cancelled because he had been in Sydney.

Mosque spokesman Rokhan Akbar then called on the media generally to take more care in reporting on Muslim communities and not label Muslims as terrorists. “Groups shouldn’t be labelled. It is the job of the media to provide the truth to people,” he said.

“Muslim communities condemn terrorism in all forms.”

In September Mr Alam’s picture was published on the front pages of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, incorrectly identifying him as alleged “teenage terrorist” Numan Haider, 18, who had been shot dead at nearby Endeavour Hills. Mr Alam has no connection with Mr Haider.

Fairfax pulled the image from its websites at midday on the day the story was published and posted an apology and correction.

The Alam family hired Slater and Gordon to represent them while they considered legal ­action.

The family told The Australian that they had wanted a front-page apology of a size at least half that of the picture, rather than the apology appearing on page three.

In the wake of his photo appearing Mr Alam, 19, said he was afraid to leave the house.