Group that certifies halal food sues former Senate candidate for defamation after she suggested it was 'funding terrorism'

  • Halal Certification Authority case against anti-Islam group begins this month
  • It launched legal proceedings in 2015 over videos made for anti-Islam Q Society
  • President Mohamed El-Mouelhy says they implied he funded terrorist activity 
  • Australian Liberty Alliance activist Kirralie Smith says consumers need choice
  • Federal National Party MP George Christensen is supporting her legal defence 

By Stephen Johnson For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 21:10 EST, 7 February 2017 | Updated: 21:23 EST, 7 February 2017

Australia's peak halal certifier is suing a former Senate candidate for defamation after she suggested it was funding terrorism.

Australian Liberty Alliance campaigner Kirralie Smith has made a series of videos for the anti-Islam Q Society alleging the halal certification of foods had funded religious and extremist activity.

This has angered Halal Certification Authority president Mohamed El-Mouelhy who launched legal proceedings against the Q Society in January 2015.

Scroll down for video 

Halal Certification Authority president Mohamed El-Mouelhy is suing the Q Society over online videos it says implied it funded terrorism

Halal Certification Authority president Mohamed El-Mouelhy is suing the Q Society over online videos it says implied it funded terrorism

Kirralie Smith (centre) was an Australian Liberty Alliance Senate candidate last year and is being sued over videos she made for the anti-Islam Q Society

Kirralie Smith (centre) was an Australian Liberty Alliance Senate candidate last year and is being sued over videos she made for the anti-Islam Q Society

The New South Wales Supreme Court case is beginning later this month against Ms Smith, who has received support from right-wing federal politicians Cory Bernardi and George Christensen.

But Mr El-Mouelhy declined to confirm if the money from certifying food funded mosques or education programs.

'What I do with my money is my business,' he told the ABC's 7.30 programme on Tuesday.

'The same like everybody supports their own faith so why is supporting my faith wrong and supporting other faiths is right?'

Kirralie Smith in a video for the Q Society which is the subject of the legal proceedings 

Kirralie Smith in a video for the Q Society which is the subject of the legal proceedings 

Ms Smith, who ran as a New South Wales Senate candidate last year for the Australian Liberty Alliance, said most halal-certified foods were not clearly labelled and consumers could be unwittingly supporting Islam.

'It's the certification, the fees, where they go, who is benefiting from these things and whether consumers need to be a part of that process or not,' the founder of the Halal Choices website said.

Slater and Gordon lawyer Jeremy Zimet said the case would test how defamation laws applied to online content.

'What he does take issue with is the fact that she refers to instances of him being suspected of engaging with terrorist organisations,' he said.

'There are consequences for posting publications online whether it's on social media or review sites and at the extreme end of those consequences is court.'

Slater and Gordon lawyer Jeremy Zimet said the case would test potential online defamation

Slater and Gordon lawyer Jeremy Zimet said the case would test potential online defamation

National Party MP George Christensen (left) will speak at a fundraiser for Kirralie Smith (right)

National Party MP George Christensen (left) will speak at a fundraiser for Kirralie Smith (right)

Mr Christensen, a National Party MP from Queensland, will speak at a fundraiser for Ms Smith to cover her court costs.

'I'm backing Kirralie Smith because she is raising legitimate concerns that many members of the public share around halal certification, what the money behind halal certification actually goes to,' he said.

Former Rose Tattoo frontman Angry Anderson, who ran as Ms Smith's running mate at last year's federal election, said the case was about free speech.

The legal proceedings were against Ms Smith, a farmer from Northern NSW, and Q Society national president Debbie Robinson and fellow board members Peter Callaghan and Ralf Schumann.

Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.