NSW: Muslim candidates to stand in up to seven seats

AAP General News (Australia)
02-02-2007
NSW: Muslim candidates to stand in up to seven seats

Muslim candidates could stand in up to seven seats at next month's New South Wales
election .. with former Guantanamo Bay inmate MAMDOUH HABIB announcing his candidacy for
a western Sydney electorate.

Mr HABIB will run as an independent in the strong Labor seat of Auburn on a platform
of human rights .. freedom of expression and opposition to the war in Iraq.

Mr HABIB was released from Guantanamo Bay in 2005 after being held for three years
without charge.

JOHN HOWARD says Egyptian-born Mr HABIB .. who was accused of training with al-Qaeda
.. is exercising his democratic right.

But New South Wales Premier MORRIS IEMMA says Mr HABIB still has questions to answer
to the Australian people .. and predicts he'll get little support from voters.

Labor and the Liberals have both ruled out preference deals with Mr HABIB.

Islamic leaders believe they can influence the results in more than a dozen seats at
the election .. and say candidates from the Muslim community are likely to be named in
the seats of Lakemba and Bankstown.

AAP RTV pmu/was/cp/bart/psm/

KEYWORD: POLLNSW HABIB (SYDNEY)

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