MELBOURNE, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Muslim clerics in Australia could face a strict new code of behavior under a plan being devised by Islamic leaders.
Ameer Ali, head of John Howard's Muslim Advisory Council, told The Australian that guidelines to control radical religious leaders would be discussed at a special meeting next month.
"At the moment, we have no control over these imams, we don't know what the credentials of these imams are, what their qualifications are -- everybody gives sermons," said Ali.
Under the proposal, a new national board of imams would set guidelines for religious figures and monitor their sermons.
The proposal, backed by many moderate Muslim leaders, has infuriated firebrand Melbourne cleric Sheik Mohammed Omran, the newspaper said.
"They don't have authority, they don't have the power, they don't have any license to talk about that," he said.
