Cleric accused of incitement to rape

A SENIOR Australian Muslim cleric triggered national outrage yesterday for likening women who dress immodestly to meat that is left out for prey to eat.

Sheik Taj Aldin al Hilali’s spokesman said the cleric’s comments in a sermon last month to mark the Islamic holy month of Ramadan had been taken out of context in a report in The Australian newspaper.

But the spokesman, Keysar Trad, did not challenge the accuracy of the paper’s translation.