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The video, uncovered by the Seven Network, purportedly shows four boys, aged six to 13, performing as “Soldiers of Khilafa” or soldiers of the caliphate.
The performance took place at an event organised by the Muslim Youth Project, and is believed to be linked to hardline group Hizb ut-Tahrir, in Sydney’s Lakemba. Lebanese community leader Jamal Rifi condemned the group, saying the video made it clear Hizb ut-Tahrir was instilling in the boys the “building blocks of hate and unhappiness and a sense of not belonging”.
He said: “I would call on the mums and dads to be more informed about this group and about their tactics.
He said the larger Muslim community had rejected Hizb ut- Tahrir’s ideology.
In the video, the boys are seen chanting, “You’re never too young to be a soldier for Khilafa” and call for the creation of one Muslim nation without the West. They also say Mr Obama should go to hell and call for the head of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Islamic Friendship Association of Australia spokesman Keysar Trad said the boys were not directly calling for violence, but were singing a song about the Syrian revolution.
He said that he had always been at odds with Hizb ut-Tahrir’s ideology, but he respected its right to voice its views.
“Their rhetoric brings harm to my religion, but I don’t believe they’re a violent group,” he said.
