Council says it won’t oust Al-Furqan

THERE is no reason to cancel a controversial Islamic group’s two-year-old standing booking at a Keysborough leisure centre.
This was the City of Greater Dandenong’s response last week to concerns about members of Al-Furqan meeting each Friday at the Springers facility.
Community services director Mark Doubleday said the group was charged the standard room hire fees and had used the space for prayers.
“Provided the use and conduct is consistent with council’s policies for public use and hire and is not disruptive or inappropriate in terms of others or the community, then the group’s booking is appropriate,” he said.
“There is no reason for council to have any concerns.”
Al-Furqan said it closed its Springvale South shopfront headquarters on 22 April due to “harassment, pressure and false accusations”.
Media reports claimed that Al-Furqan was linked to five men arrested on 18 April over an alleged plan to attack Anzac Day services and to Numan Haider who was shot dead last year as he stabbed a police officer outside Endeavour Hills Police Station last year.
The centre has described the claims as “unfounded and misleading”.
– Casey Neill