The Al Madina Dawah Centre in Bankstown, Sydney, has announced its permanent closure, effective on a Wednesday. This decision follows a period of heightened scrutiny directed at the centre, particularly after the December 2025 Bondi Beach attack, and its association with cleric Wissam Haddad. The closure also comes after the Canterbury-Bankstown City Council issued a "cease use" directive due to the premises operating as a prayer hall without proper development consent.
Background on Alleged Perpetrators and Prior Investigations
Naveed Akram, identified by media reports as one of the alleged perpetrators in the December 2025 Bondi Beach attack which resulted in 15 fatalities, became known to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in 2019 while he was a teenager. This initial investigation focused on Akram's alleged associations with Sydney-based individuals reported to be members of an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) cell. Sajid Akram, another individual identified by some sources as an alleged perpetrator in the Bondi attack, was also interviewed by authorities during this six-month investigation.
The 2019 investigation concluded that Naveed Akram posed no ongoing threat of engaging in violence, and no charges were filed at that time. These events predated the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel by four years.
Associations with Wissam Haddad and the Al Madina Dawah Centre
Media reports alleged that Naveed Akram worshipped at the Al Madina Dawah Centre and had previously acted as a street preacher for a Dawah preaching movement reportedly led by Wissam Haddad, also known as Abu Ousayd. Wissam Haddad, an Australian citizen named William Haddad, works in carpet laying and preaches part-time. The Al-Madina Dawah Centre Inc was established in April 2021 to manage the centre's lease. The Al Madina Group, which registered as a business in July 2025, later claimed independent management of the centre.
Haddad's lawyer stated that his client "vehemently denies any knowledge of or involvement in the shootings that took place at Bondi Beach." The Al Madina Group released a statement on December 15 asserting that Haddad held no management role, operational authority, or involvement in the centre's administration or decision-making. Haddad himself, in a December 17 post, denied Akram was part of his Dawah movement or a follower, asserting no verified link existed between them. A source close to Haddad also stated he had not been part of the Al Madina Dawah Centre "for some time."
Prior Scrutiny and Legal Rulings Involving Haddad
In April 2024, a Four Corners investigation identified Haddad as a "spiritual leader" within Australia's alleged pro-Islamic State network, a claim Haddad disputes. A former ASIO undercover agent, referred to as 'Marcus,' alleged he had warned the agency about Haddad's reported indoctrination of young people at the Bankstown prayer centre. 'Marcus' claimed Haddad was regarded by ASIO as a significant jihadist figure and alleged that Haddad used coded language when referring to ISIS while advising followers to maintain secrecy regarding any plans for violence. Haddad reportedly received mentorship from British Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary via WhatsApp between 2021 and 2023. Choudary was convicted in the UK for directing a terrorist organization.
In July 2025, Federal Court Justice Angus Stewart determined that Haddad had breached the Racial Discrimination Act. This ruling followed a series of lectures delivered at the Al Madina Dawah Centre in November 2023, titled ‘The Jews of Al-Madina.’ During these lectures, Haddad was reported to have described Jewish people using terms such as ‘vile,’ ‘treacherous,’ ‘mischievous,’ ‘murderous,’ ‘descended from apes and pigs,’ and ‘hiding like the rats that they are.’ Justice Stewart concluded that the lectures contained imputations he described as "devastatingly offensive," based on racist and antisemitic tropes, and noted the potential for such comments to incite severe acts.
Regulatory Action and Centre Closure
The Canterbury-Bankstown City Council issued a "cease use" directive to the Al Madina Dawah Centre. Council surveillance indicated a strong suspicion that the premises was operating as a prayer hall without proper development consent, as it had been approved as a medical centre. Records dating back to 1970 showed no approval for the premises to operate as a prayer hall, and no application had been lodged to change its use.
Initially, the Al Madina Group had stated in December that it was "temporarily pausing operations" to lodge a change of use application, emphasizing the centre was not closing permanently. However, the recent announcement of permanent closure was made via an image posted to the centre's Facebook account on a Wednesday morning, without providing further details, which contradicts the earlier statement. The announcement was also shared on a Telegram channel associated with Haddad.
Government Response and Proposed Legislation
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns supported the council's action and announced plans to empower councils with stronger abilities to close down unlawful places of worship. Proposed new laws would require councils to consult NSW police before approving religious premises. Fines for operating without development consent are set to increase significantly, from $11,000 to $110,000 for individuals and from $22,000 to $220,000 for corporations.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke welcomed the centre's announcement, stating that "The mere knowledge of the legislation has already seen the neo-Nazis, and now Wisam Haddad's group announce closure." The closure follows a period of heightened state and federal focus on hate speech, implemented in response to the Bondi attack.
Context on ISIS Ideology
ISIS adheres to an extremist interpretation of Salafi jihadism, which mainstream Islamic scholars globally reject. The group seeks to establish a transnational caliphate under Sharia law and rejects the nation-state system. Globally, ISIS has inspired various attacks following its loss of territorial control. In Australia, incidents linked to ISIS inspiration include a 2014 Melbourne police stabbing, an April 2024 Sydney bishop stabbing, and the December 2025 Bondi Beach shooting. ISIS propaganda has called for attacks on Jewish communities worldwide. A majority of ISIS victims have been Muslims. The U.S. State Department declared ISIS responsible for genocide against Yazidis, Christians, and Shia Muslims in 2016.