Terror group horrifies Bay's Muslims

SPEAKING OUT: Ahmed Ghoneim says the terrorist Islamic State militant group does not represent Muslim beliefs. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER

BAY Muslims are speaking out against the actions of the terrorist group Islamic State (Isis).

Tauranga Muslim Association president Ahmed Ghoneim said he did not agree with what was happening in the Middle East.

"I am not happy with them. In Islamic prophecy, a woman tied up a cat and did not feed it until it died and she went to hell, so I don't think the same religion will be inviting people in that kill people in this crazy way. What they are doing is just not right."

Mr Ghoneim said he loved Tauranga, had lived in the city for 11 years and had not experienced any fallout over the unfolding events overseas.

Islamic State is a militant Islamist group that has seized large swathes of territory in eastern Syria and across northern and western Iraq.

US President Barack Obama asked the United Nations for support to destroy the Isis "network of death" earlier this week. The US launched a new offensive on Wednesday, with Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, against the Isis fighters, for the first time using cruise missiles, drones and warplanes. US officials believe Isis could have as many as 31,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.

Closer to home, Australian police shot dead Abdul Numan Haider on Tuesday outside a police station in Melbourne. The 18-year-old "known terror suspect" used a small knife to stab two police officers and was found to be carrying an Isis flag and a larger knife.

Islamic community leaders reported that many Australian Muslims feared for their lives after the shooting and had endured a backlash, including public abuse. Victorian Police commissioner Ken Lay has urged calm.

Tauranga Muslim Ibrahim Hassan said Muslims should not be judged on Isis, because the extremist group did not represent their religion or beliefs.

"They don't belong to Islam in any way.

"They are trying to build an Islamic state by killing and threatening people and making them migrate from their cities. It's very sad and scary. They are just like 'join us or we will kill you'."

Tauranga Regional Multicultural Council immediate past president Ewa Fenn said its members had not received any adverse comments about the situation in the Middle East. But they were worried about the on-going conflict and repercussions.

"It's very concerning because of the implications and the backlash for the Muslims around the world."

There was not a large population of people from the Middle East living locally because most came as refugees.

"Tauranga does not accept refugees as it doesn't have a refugee centre and has a reputation for having expensive housing and not enough jobs."

A United Nations report said the violence in Iraq had killed more than 5500 civilians in the first six months of this year.

Thousands had also been killed in Syria and on Tuesday about 66,000 refugees, mainly Syrian Kurds, crossed into Turkey within 24 hours.

Internet footage of Westerners being beheaded has been posted online by Isis, sparking outrage around the world.