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Terror-linked Australian Islamic center announces closure

Xinhua, April 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

A controversial Melbourne-based Islamic center that was attended by three men arrested in counterterrorism raids last week has announced that it will be closing its doors immediately.

The Al-Furqan Islamic Information Center, in the Melbourne suburb of Springvale, released a statement on Thursday, citing pressure from the media and Australian politicians as the reason for shutting down.

Al-Furqan had come under fire in recent weeks, due to its association with Sevdet Besim and Harun Causevic, both 18, who were arrested in relation to an Anzac Day terror plot in Melbourne last week.

The Islamic center was also attended by Numan Haider, 18, who was shot dead by police late last year after he stabbed two officers outside a Springvale police station.

The statement, released by cleric Harun Mehicevic, said that for the protection of its members and the Islamic community, the best course of action was to shut the center down.

"This statement is to announce that, effective immediately, Al- Furqan Islamic Center is ceasing its activities and closing its doors," the statement read.

"This decision has not been taken lightly.

"We believe that given the constant harassment, pressure and false accusations leveled against the center -- particularly by media and politicians -- this is the best course of action for the protection of the local community, its members and the broader Muslim community that is often implicated in these insidious campaigns."

Mehicevic denied that Al-Furqan has links with the terror plot planned for the April 25 commemorations.

Al-Furqan was also regularly frequented by Neil Prakash, 23, who defected to Syria in 2013 to take up fighting with Islamic State (IS).

He is known to authorities as the key figurehead behind IS recruitment in Australia, and recently released a propaganda video online, telling "brothers" that "now is the time to wake up, you must start attacking before they attack you."

Last week, Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews said that the Al- Furqan center was "well monitored" by authorities. Endi