Scott Morrison’s office blasts Waleed Aly over ‘defamatory’ Christchurch editorial

Scott Morrison’s office has blasted The Project host Waleed Aly for ‘defamatory’ comments in his editorial calling for unity after the Christchurch mosque attacks.

TV host Aly choked back tears during his broadcast on Friday, hitting out at politicians who have allegedly expressed anti-Muslim sentiments in recent years.  

In a comment that seemed to allude to Mr Morrison, Aly said: ‘I know there are media reports going back eight years at a shadow cabinet meeting in which another senior politician suggested his party should use community concerns about Muslims in Australia failing to integrate as a political strategy.’

‘That person is now the most senior politician we have.’

Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Chief Press Secretary Andrew Carswell allegedly blasted Channel Ten after host Waleed Aly made a reference to the prime minister’s alleged ‘anti-Muslim’ sentiments on air on Friday 

Aly’s statement allegedly prompted Mr Morrison’s Chief Press Secretary Andrew Carswell to slam the network for defaming the Prime Minister, according to The New Daily.  

The remarks were in reference to a 2010 meeting during which Mr Morrison, who was an MP at the time, allegedly suggested the Liberal Party capitalise on ‘growing concerns’ about Muslim immigration. 

Five former members of the shadow cabinet, including Peter Dutton and Greg Hunt, denied claims that Mr Morrison encouraged the party to exploit those sentiments, according to The New Daily.  

A network source told the publication Mr Carswell contacted the channel accusing them of broadcasting ‘discredited information’ which he claimed was ‘defamation effectively of the Prime Minister.’ 

Mr Carswell allegedly said the network had ‘failed journalism 101’ by neglecting to check its claims.  

The Prime Minister’s office declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. 

Aly’s video remains online and has been shared 12 million times.

‘I’m gutted, I’m scared, and I’m overcome with utter hopelessness,’ the 40-year-old devout Muslim said on Friday.

Aly said that because of the global increase of far-right violence in western countries he was not shocked by the attack.

Nearly three days since the horrific terror attack in Christchurch which left 50 worshippers dead, new details about the innocent victims are emerging

A man was seen with bloodstains on his trousers near the mosque after the shooting

‘The most dishonest thing would be to say that I’m shocked, there’s nothing about what happened in Christchurch today that shocks me,’ he said. 

The presenter said that as a devout Muslim, he knows what the victims would have been doing before they were shot. 

‘I know exactly what those moments before the shooting began would have been like,’ he said.

‘I know how quiet, how still, how introspective those people would have been before they were suddenly gunned down.’ 

Witnesses inside the mosque reported seeing dozens being shot, including children

The Project host slammed comments made after the horrific attacks by politician Fraser Anning which he said this kind of speech incites hate.  

‘I don’t want to name him but all parties have denounced him,’ Mr Aly said. 

He was clearly struggling to keep his composure during the speech.  

‘We are one community and everything we say to try and tear people apart, to demonise groups set them against each other – that all has consequences,’ he said. 

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Ten for comment. 

Ms Ardern hugs a member of Christchurch’s Muslim community on Saturday afternoon