Sheik's fate hangs on decision from Evans

IRANIAN sheik Mansour Leghaei, who faces deportation following adverse ASIO assessments, has been granted a further extension of his bridging visa as Immigration Minister Chris Evans ponders whether to intervene in the Shia cleric's case.

IRANIAN sheik Mansour Leghaei, who faces deportation following adverse ASIO assessments, has been granted a further extension of his bridging visa as Immigration Minister Chris Evans ponders whether to intervene in the Shia cleric's case.

Dr Leghaei, cleric at the Shia Imam Husain Islamic Centre at Earlwood in Sydney's inner southwest, was granted a renewal of his bridging visa yesterday for a further two weeks after meeting immigration department officials.

The cleric has lodged a formal request with Senator Evans to use ministerial discretion to prevent his deportation on humanitarian grounds.

Dr Leghaei's supporters said yesterday immigration officials had indicated a decision from the minister was "imminent".

The cleric entered Australia on a temporary working visa in 1994, but he was later refused a permanent visa after ASIO accused him of carrying out "acts of foreign interference", which have never been publicly specified. The sheik has admitted receiving a $32,000 donation in 1999 from the Iranian government for his Islamic centre, prompting accusations from within the Muslim community that he was funded by the Iranian government.

Dr Leghaei has said he has no continuing relationship with the Iranian government. He has also said he has no interest in politics whatsoever. Christian supporters of the sheik have lobbied the federal government to show him the same procedural fairness that would be afforded to an Australian citizen, but the High Court has ruled that Dr Leghaei cannot challenge his ASIO assessment in Australian courts.

The Christian coalition that supports Dr Leghaei insists he is a moderate cleric, who has been instrumental in fostering inter-faith dialogue in Sydney's inner west and inner southwest. The cleric's wife and two of his four children also face deportation to Iran. Dr Leghaei's final legal appeal against deportation was rejected by the Migration Appeals Tribunal last month.