Police have revealed they are investigating a second potential online threat this week, towards mosques in south-west Sydney. On Thursday Lakemba Mosque posted on Facebook that it had received a comment on its TikTok account that referenced the 2019 Christchurch massacre. This morning police said another mosque in neighbouring Padstow has also been threatened.
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00:00Here at the Lakemba Mosque in southwest Sydney, it's supposed to be a time of deep contemplation
00:07and expression of Islamic faith.
00:09However, it's been soured by online threats and apparent references to the Christchurch
00:14massacre on the mosque's official TikTok account.
00:18The Lebanese Muslim Association pointed out on Thursday through its social media channels
00:23that a comment had been made on Wednesday via one of its videos posted to TikTok.
00:28However, it seems to emerge that there's now other comments that have been made towards
00:32the Lebanese Muslim Association and the Lakemba Mosque right here regarding the Christchurch
00:37massacre, which saw 51 people, almost all of them Muslims, shot dead in Christchurch
00:43at mosques and their surrounds in 2019.
00:46Now, this threat has alarmed many online, but it's also been revealed by police today
00:53that they're looking at another instance and another threat made towards the neighbouring
00:58Padstone Mosque, again online.
01:00Well, during the course of the investigation into the Lakemba Mosque, we've actually identified
01:05a second threat that's come into the neighbouring Padstone Mosque.
01:09So our team out at the Camp C police area command are working with our engagement hate
01:14crime unit, the Counterterrorism Command, and the investigation is ongoing as we speak.
01:19The mayor of Canterbury-Bankstown, Bilal El Hayek, says there'll be an increased security
01:23presence here at the mosque this afternoon and evening, where there's expected to be
01:28hundreds in attendance for prayer services throughout the day.
01:31The LMA and the Lakemba Mosque will do a fantastic job.
01:34There'll be more police, there'll be more security, you know, resources put to make
01:38sure that the safety of the worshippers is first priority.
01:42The ABC spent some time here today and it's worth noting that while worshippers who have
01:47come to the mosque do note the fear they've felt over these online threats, as well as
01:52the noted rise in Islamophobia, as documented in recent research and reporting, they also
01:58were wanting to remain resolute in their faith.
02:02It's just a shame in this day and age that we can't get rid of it.
02:06There's good and bad people everywhere.
02:09You've just got to look on the bright side and we've all just got to stay strong and
02:14stay together.
02:15These threats, they make some fear in the community because this is no good this much.
02:21We all live together here, all Lakemba nights, going on the Ramadhan, we pray together, everything.
02:27These community concerns have been compounded by another alleged incident that took place
02:33earlier this month.
02:34In that instance, targeting the Masjid al-Bayt al-Islami site in Edmondson Park.
02:41There was a teenage boy in Western Australia charged over that incident after subsequent
02:46police investigations.
02:48As for these incidents currently under investigation by police, no one has been arrested or charged.