Charges against Zakir Naik politically motivated, says lawyer

KUALA LUMPUR — Controversial Muslim preacher Zakir Naik, who is currently on the run from the Indian authorities, is ready to fight an extradition request from India, his lawyer said on Wednesday (Nov 15), adding that the charges against the cleric are politically motivated.

Mr Shaharudin Ali — Dr Zakir’s lawyer in Malaysia — told The Malaysian Insight that it was only fair that the Mumbai-born televangelist was given every opportunity to exhaust his legal rights in Malaysia before being sent back to India.

“It is possible that he would be exposed to a potential political allegation back home,” he said without further elaboration on the allegation.

“There is the possibility that the allegations (against Dr Zakir) in India are tainted with emotions and other factors. We don’t want him to be a victim of that.”

India last month filed radicalisation charges against preacher. The move comes after India revoked his passport in July.

Dr Zakir was charged in absentia under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for heading an “unlawful association”.

The founder of Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) was also charged with inciting youth to take up terror acts and join global terror groups such as the Islamic State (IS).

The Times of India reported late last month that the Indian government will make an official request to Malaysia to extradite Dr Zakir.

The preacher allegedly fled to Saudi Arabia after the Indian authorities started investigating him and the IRF for alleged terror propaganda.

He has previously voiced support for Al Qaeda jihadists and Osama bin Laden and, in a 2006 lecture, he called for “every Muslim to be a terrorist”.

The British and Canadian governments have banned the him from entering their country because of his inflammatory speeches.

Singapore leaders meanwhile, have cautioned against divisive preaching by the likes of Dr Zakir — who had urged followers not to vote for someone of another religion.

The cleric, however, has denied allegations that he is a terrorist and said he is ready to go to court, provided it is at an international or Malaysian court, to prove his innocence.

He has been welcomed by some senior clerics in Malaysia and leaders from the opposition Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS). Putrajaya gave him permanent residency (PR) status five years ago and last year, he met Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

But in an apparent U-turn over its treatment of Dr Zakir, Putrajaya said last week it will extradite the preacher back to India if there is a request from the Indian government.

Mr Shaharudin said on Wednesday that so far, there had been no development on the extradition request from India.

He also said Dr Zakir is in Malaysia, saying that he is in constant contact with the preacher.

“We will fight against any request to extradite him to India. But, we can only do this the moment we receive the warrant of arrest or a special request from the government of India,” he said.

“For now, it’s a waiting game. We have not heard about anything. We will have to look at the papers once they are here.” THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT