A prominent mosque in Sydney, Australia has been sent a threatening letter, prompting authorities to launch an investigation. According to local media reports, the letter, which was delivered to the Lakemba Mosque in Western Sydney, contains a menacing message targeting Muslims. The report states that the mosque received a disturbing email a few weeks prior to the letter, which included a graphic image depicting the mosque in flames.
Following the receipt of the threatening letter, police have arrested a 70-year-old individual on charges of sending a threatening email to the mosque’s staff. In response to the latest threat, police have stated that they will conduct forensic testing on the letter and increase security measures at the mosque and other religious institutions. The investigation comes amid growing concerns over hate crimes and Islamophobia in Australia.
The mosque, which is home to a significant Muslim community, has reported a surge in hate crimes and incidents since the Gaza conflict in 2023. According to a recent report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, over 60% of the population in the Lakemba area identifies as Muslim, with approximately 5,000 people expected to attend the mosque each night during Ramadan.
The mayor of Canterbury Bankstown Council, Bilal El-Hayek, has expressed concerns over the impact of the threat on the Muslim community, while Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned the latest incident. The development comes as tensions between the US and Iran continue to escalate, with the US deploying a naval fleet to the region.
In other news, a secretariat general of the United Nations has expressed concern over the escalating tensions between the US and Iran. Meanwhile, a former Albanian vice prime minister has been suspended due to corruption allegations. A US naval fleet has also been deployed to the region, with the US Navy’s Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group already in the Middle East.
In a separate incident, a 16-year-old boy has been fined 50,000 dirhams (approximately $38,000 USD) for riding a motorbike without a helmet. US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing a 10% tariff on all countries, with the US Navy deploying troops to Portugal in anticipation of a potential conflict.
