A New Zealand Islamic leader says National Party leader Don Brash has upset many Muslims with a suggestion that some of their co-religionists he meets are "possibly" terrorists.
On TV One's Agenda programme, Dr Brash, asked if he intended to continue meeting representatives of the Exclusive Brethren, asked rhetorically if
he was going to rule out meeting anybody.
"Look, we're talking about hate speech here," Dr Brash said. "Do I meet with Muslims? Yes. Are some of them terrorists? Possibly. I'm not going to stop myself meeting with any group who wants to talk with me as leader of the National Party."
Javed Khan, president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, said it was quite possible that anyone Dr Brash met could be a terrorist.
"If you don't have any foundation for saying something, this is very much speculation on the part of Don Brash. He being the Leader of the Opposition, making this kind of comment is not very good. It doesn't help anybody.
"It's rather unfortunate. It's always somebody digging into the Muslims all the time.
"If it comes from a person who is the alternative Prime Minister of this country, it doesn't bode well for the good relationship between Muslims and others."
Dr Brash was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Mr Khan said that if Dr Brash had met any local Muslim terrorists, he should report that to the authorities.
"I met with him three or four weeks ago and he has never said he has met somebody who has had that attitude in our community.
"I would be very much interested if he could let me know who are these people. It would be very important from my perspective to know if there was ... a Muslim who holds those sentiments."
