SYDNEY, Jan 18 (Reuters): An Australian Muslim cleric has urged children to be martyrs for Islam and referred to Jews as pigs in a series of DVDs, sparking condemnation by the government and further straining tensions with the nation's Muslims.
Sheik Feiz Mohammed, head of the Global Islamic Youth Centre in Sydney's western suburbs, is the second cleric to inflame anti-Muslim sentiment in Australia with controversial comments.
Sheikh Taj El-Din Hilaly, the imam of Australia's biggest mosque, was accused of justifying rape in November after a Ramadan sermon in which he said unveiled women were like uncovered meat.
Australian media said Feiz has lived in Lebanon for the past year and that his "Death Series" DVDs were made public by a British documentary this week called "Undercover Mosque".
"We want to have children and offer them as soldiers defending Islam," said Feiz in the video, reported Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper.
"Teach them this: There is nothing more beloved to me than wanting to die as a mujahid.
Put in their soft, tender hearts the zeal of jihad and a love of martyrdom," he said.
The paper also said Feiz had insulted Jews, referring to them as pigs.
Feiz has a series of video clips in which he also calls for jihad and praises martyrdom.
The Australian government and ethnic leaders, including Muslims, condemned Feiz's comments today.
"The importation of hatred into Australia is totally unacceptable," acting Attorney-General Kevin Andrews told reporters.
"These remarks and the others before them are condemned by the government."