Mufti Ishak Ibrahim Koshiya

 

Mufti Ishak Ibrahim Koshiya from the West Auckland Islamic Centre in Ranui was taken from the mosque by police and immigration officers on September 6, arrested as an overstayer and served with a removal order.

He was kept in custody overnight and appeared in the Waitakere District Court the following day when he was bailed until his next hearing.

Koshiya, 38, who had been in New Zealand on a work permit for almost five years, agreed to leave the country voluntarily with his wife and three children, two of whom were born in New Zealand. He returned to India on September 10.

His lawyer, Marcus Beveridge, said Koshiya's work visa had expired and his application for permanent residency was declined because he failed the International English Language Testing System exam.

Ethnic Affairs Minister Chris Carter, his local MP, made submissions on Koshiya's behalf to Associate Immigration Minister Clayton Cosgrove, saying he had met the preacher at several events.

Beveridge said Koshiya was a greatly respected and highly qualified mufti.

"Apparently he was the highest, most learned Islamic scholar New Zealand's ever seen.

"He was fluent in six languages, including Arabic and Hindi, but English was always a bit of a struggle. It's all a bit ironic because he taught all the local West Auckland Christian scholars about the Koran, he spoke for 15 minutes a day in the mosque to English-only speaking church men."

Beveridge said there had been "negative commentary" from the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (Fianz), the ruling council of Muslim organisations. "We have no question in our minds that they, on one hand, wrote flattering letters and on the other hand lobbied the associate minister personally, saying the guy's an extremist ... and a fanatic."

Beveridge said it was accepted that Koshiya "adopted the Koran in a pretty literal sort of way" but he had never advocated extremism or terrorism.

"He's not an extremist at all, he's a moderate and loving and hugely respected and charismatic mufti."

Beveridge said he had been told privately by a higher-ranking cabinet minister that the allegations of extremism were the most important reason why Cosgrove refused to allow Koshiya to stay.

 

"I don't respond to pressure, I respond to evidence ... Lawyers speculating on what has happened, that's their privilege, but they don't have the facts before them, and it's just speculation."

The president of Fianz, Javed Khan, said there were "all sorts of rumours" but he denied the organisation lobbied against Koshiya.

"There is no evidence of him (Koshiya) being involved in any radical activity, so why would we lobby against him?"

Khan said he was asked to make representations on Koshiya's behalf and, despite not wanting to get involved in "local politics", wrote a letter of support to Cosgrove.

A worshipper at the Ranui mosque, Asheem Abdul, said Koshiya was a huge loss. Abdul said while people accused Koshiya of radical teachings, the most controversial statement he could think of was Koshiya encouraging people to avoid McDonald's because the meat was not halal.