Australian NRL representative stars Payne Haas and Murray Taulagi have hit out at false claims that the Bondi Junction Westfield killer was a Muslim terrorist.
Police have confirmed that Joel Cauchi, a 40-year-old knifeman, was behind the horrific attacks which left six people dead before he was shot dead by Police Inspector Amy Scott.
Cauchi’s Facebook profile shows no connection to the Islamic faith and his parents are very religious and celebrated Christmas with him last year.
Brisbane Broncos, NSW Blues and Australian Kangaroos prop Payne Haas converted to Islam in 2017 and hit out at claims the Bondi Junction Westfield killer was Muslim.
Pictured: The statement attacking the media for assuming the murders were the work of a Muslim terrorist shared by Haas and Murray Taulagi (right).
Pictured: A mourner places flowers as he pays his respects to the victims of the horrific attack in Bondi Junction on Saturday.
That prompted humanitarian lawyer Tom Zreika to share a statement on social media calling for the media to be more responsible when reporting on horrific acts of violence like the Bondi stabbings.
His statement criticizing assumptions that the killer was Muslim was shared by North Queensland Cowboys winger Taulagi and devout Muslim Payne Haas.
“Westfield Bondi Junction attack: Killer identified as Queensland man Joel Cauchi,” Zreika posted on Instagram.
‘The mainstream media rushed in and reported that he was a ‘pro-Palestinian Muslim terrorist.’
“He is now said to be a mentally disturbed drug user.”
Zreika then added: “PLEASE FOLLOW YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND CORRECTLY REPORT THE FACTS BEFORE REPORTING.”
Haas became a Muslim in early 2019 and wants to follow in the footsteps of international double Sonny Bill Williams to become a leader in the Islamic community.
“There will be a time when I will align myself with him and want to be a leader for Islam and Muslims,” Haas said at the time.
“Hopefully I can do it one day, inshallah, God willing and I can be at the forefront of that, like Sonny is right now.”
Zreika is the co-founder and president of AusRelief, known for his dedication as a passionate advocate for community, social and refugee justice, in addition to his humanitarian efforts.
He also serves as a solicitor and managing partner at Sterling Legal, and has brought his experience as a councilor to Cumberland Council, one of Australia’s largest councils, until December 2021.
His post came after some social media commentators assumed the Bondi stabbings were a terrorist attack and blamed the deaths on a Muslim extremist before the killer was officially revealed to be Cauchi.
Those assumptions went global, with British Talk TV host Julia Hartley-Brewer saying on national television: “Another day.” Another terrorist attack carried out by another Islamist terrorist.
Activists also attempted to link the Westfield Junction horror to pro-Palestinian anti-Semitism.