Death threat letter sent to Lakemba Mosque

A popular mosque in Sydney’s southwest has received a “deeply disturbing” death threat, explicitly calling for violence against targeted groups, according to the Islamophobia Register Australia.

The organisation – which manages a national database of Islamophobic incidents – outlined the contents of the letter, which was addressed to the Imam of Lakemba Mosque, in a statement posted to social media.

Delivered by post on 22 January, the letter allegedly urges co-ordinated violence on Australia Day, with the most serious threats including direct calls to murder and public violence, per the register’s statement.

“The letter further states ‘we will kill them if we get the opportunity’, signalling intent to intimidate and incite lethal harm and encourages the targeted groups to be ‘kidnapped from the street’,” the organisation said.

The register noted the incident occurred during a “period of heightened political tension“ in the lead up to and during the passage of Labor’s hate speech reforms, drafted in the wake of the Bondi terror attack.

“Parliamentary debate surrounding the Bill included rhetoric that framed Muslim communities as security threats,” the register said.

The letter was branded an “unambiguous call to violence and murder” by Islamophobia Register Australia chair Mariam Veiszadeh.

“When irresponsible political rhetoric goes unchecked, it emboldens extremists,” she said.

“Urging people to be ‘beaten to death in the street’ is a serious and immediate threat to public safety.

“This letter demonstrates how dehumanising political narratives can translate into explicit calls for violence.”

NSW Police are aware of the incident and have commenced an investigation, a spokesman told NewsWire.

There is no ongoing threat to the community, they said.

Premier Chris Minns confirmed he was aware of the letter.

“I just want to make it very clear that any kind of racial vilification or threats to violence are taken incredibly seriously by police,” he told reporters on Friday.

“We’ve got the strongest laws in the world when it comes to hate speech … We need to have big, bright red lines that if you encourage vilification or violence against a stranger, someone you’ve never met before, we’re going to throw the book at you.”

Federal politicians have also weighed in on the incident, with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly condemning it as “disgraceful” in a joint statement.

“Threats of violence have no place in Australia,” the statement read.

“The Australian Government takes these threats extremely seriously. This matter has appropriately been referred to law enforcement.

“Words matter. Language that calls for violence have no place in Australia.

“Our country is strongest when we choose unity over division.”