A LECTURE and meeting due to be held by controversial Sheik Feiz Mohammed in Sydney has been cancelled.
The Australian branch of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah (ASWJ) movement was due to stage the event on Wednesday night at the Bukhari House Islamic Book Store in Auburn to discuss Saturday's Muslim riots.
ASWJ said the lecture would also address the Innocence of Muslims, the short YouTube film that sparked the violent demonstrations, and "what our responsibilities are regarding this matter".
But ASWJ announced at about 2.30pm (AEST) on Wednesday that the meeting had been cancelled and said Sheik Mohammed would instead conduct media interviews to discuss the riots.
The movement gave no immediate reason for cancelling the event.
A NSW Police spokesman said they were aware the meeting had been cancelled but said no request had been made to call it off.
Sheik Mohammed has courted controversy in recent years, most notably in 2007 for his DVDs calling for the murder of "infidels" and describing Jews as "pigs".
He has reportedly also previously said in a speech that raped women only had themselves to blame.
Police had earlier refused to comment on whether or not they had planned to attend the lecture in Auburn.
Eight people have been arrested in relation to Saturday's riots, including on Tuesday night a 17-year-old male youth who's been charged with attacking two police officers.
The teenager is due to appear in court in October.
