Footy stars Payne Haas and Murray Taulagi lash out at shocking speculation about Bondi Junction murderer Joel Cauchi
Australian Representative NRL stars Payne Haas and Murray Taulagi have lashed out at false claims that the Bondi Junction Westfield killer was a Muslim terrorist.
Police have confirmed that 40-year-old knifeman Joel Cauchi was behind the horrific attacks that left six people dead before he was shot by police inspector Amy Scott.
Cauchi’s Facebook profile shows no connection to the Islamic faith and his parents are very religious and celebrated Christmas with him last year.
Brisbane Broncos, NSW Blues and Australian Kangaroos prop Payne Haas converted to Islam in 2017 and lashed out against claims the Bondi Junction Westfield killer was Muslim
Pictured: The statement lashing out at the media for assuming the killings were the act of a Muslim terrorist, shared by Haas and Murray Taulagi (right)
Pictured: A mourner places flowers as he pays his respects to the victims of the horrific attack in Bondi Junction on Saturday
That led to humanitarian lawyer Tom Zreika sharing a statement on social media calling on the media to be more responsible in reporting horrific acts of violence such as the Bondi stabbings.
His statement decrying assumptions that the killer was Muslim was shared by North Queensland Cowboys winger Taulagi and devout Muslim Payne Haas.
“Westfield Bondi Junction attack: Killer named as Queensland man Joel Cauchi,” Zreika posted on Instagram.
‘The mainstream media have taken up the gun and reported that he was a ‘pro-Palestinian Muslim terrorist’.
“It is now being reported that he is a mentally disturbed drug user.”
Zreika then added, “FEEL YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND GET THE FACTS RIGHT BEFORE REPORTING.”
Haas became a Muslim in early 2019 and wants to follow in the footsteps of double international Sonny Bill Williams to become a leader in the Islamic community.
“There will come a time when I will join in and be a leader for Islam and for Muslims,” Haas said at the time.
“Hopefully I can do that one day, inshallah, God willing, and I can be at the forefront of that, like Sonny is right now.”
Zreika is the co-founder and chairman of AusRelief, known for his dedication as a passionate advocate for community, social and refugee justice, in addition to his humanitarian efforts.
He is also a lawyer and managing partner at Sterling Legal, and until December 2021 contributed his expertise as a councilor to Cumberland Council, one of Australia’s largest local councils.
His post came after some social media commentators assumed the Bondi stabbings were a terrorist attack and blamed the fatalities on a Muslim extremist before it was officially revealed the killer was Cauchi.
These assumptions were heard around the world, with British Talk TV presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer saying on national television: ‘Another day. Another terror attack by a new Islamist terrorist.”
Activists also tried to link the horror of Westfield Junction to pro-Palestinian anti-Semitism.