Islamic prayer hall permanently closes after controversial cleric comes under scrutiny following Bondi terror attack

<p>Al Madina Dawah centre in Bankstown announces move on Wednesday after local council issues ‘cease use’ directive on Wisam Haddad</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/jan/14/adelaide-festival-writers-week-lousie-adler-politics-reaction-peter-malinauskas-victoria-bushfires-queensland-floods-anthony-albanese-labor-sussan-ley-coalition-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>An Islamic prayer hall in Sydney associated with the controversial cleric Wisam Haddad, which had come under scrutiny since the Bondi massacre, says it has permanently closed.</p><p>The Al Madina Dawah centre in Bankstown made the announcement in an image posted to its Facebook account on Wednesday morning. “The Al Madina Dawah centre is permanently closed,” it said, without providing any additional information.<br><br>
Canterbury Bankstown council <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/23/sydney-council-seeks-to-shut-down-islamic-centre-linked-to-controversial-preacher-wisam-haddad-ntwnfb">issued a “cease use” directive</a> on Haddad last month, after surveilling the centre on Kitchener Parade and determining it never had approval to operate as a prayer hall, and was only recently approved to operate as a medical centre.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jan/14/sydney-islamic-prayer-hall-bankstown-closes-wisam-haddad-bondi-terror-attack-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a>

Read the full article at: The Guardian World →