Sheikh Hilali prays during his one month-stay in Iraq to secure the release of the Australian hostage.

CAIRO, June 16, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – The Australian government and people have paid tribute to the role played by the Grand Mufti of Australia to secure the release of the Australian hostage in Iraq from his captors.

"He has made an enormous effort,” said Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.

Sheikh Taj Aldin Al-Hilali has spent much of the past month in Iraq trying to negotiate the release of the Australian contractor, Douglas Wood, who was released during an Iraqi military operation Wednesday, June 15.

“Real credit should be given to him (Hilali) for the effort that he made and the risks that he took including to his own security and in assisting the team's efforts to try to get Douglas Wood released," Downer told ABC Wednesday, June 15.

The 63-year-old contractor was kidnapped in late April by a self-styled Iraqi group calling itself the Shura Council of the Mujahedeen of Iraq, which initially demanded that Australia pull its 800 troops out of Iraq.

The top Aussie official also hailed the role of the Muslim minority in Australia in securing the release of the Australian national.

"That's one of the assets we have as a multicultural country, that people all came together as 'Team Australia', and they brought their different strengths and so we appreciate it very much the contribution Sheikh Al-Hilali and more generally the Australian Islamic Community made," he said.

Commenting on the news of releasing Wood, the Grand Mufti of Australia said he had met his promise on sparing no efforts to securre the release of the Australian hostage.

“I left Australia for Iraq on May 15, following the kidnap of the Australian national. I committed myself not to leave Baghdad without securing the release of the Australian hostage,” he told IslamOnline.net Wednesday during his stop-over in Cairo.

“After tireless efforts and contacts with different parties as well as breath-taking adventures, the efforts were crowned in success.”

Sheikh Hilali maintained that he engaged in contacts with two Iraqi groups involved in the kidnap process.

“One of the two groups helped me to define the hostage’s location, which was attacked by an Iraqi military team backed by US forces.”

“The hostage was released six hours before he was due to be beheaded and a number of kidnappers were arrested.”

Sheikh Hilali said his mission in Iraq to secure Mr. Wood’s release was aimed to highlight the merciful teachings of Islam.

“When I left for Iraq as a representative of the Australian Muslims, I was trying to show off the real image of Islam, which supports the preservation of man’s life, and to stand against all campaigns tarnishing Islam.”

Wood was released Wednesday during an Iraqi military operation backed by US forces.

Australian Muslims also expressed pride over the tireless efforts of the Grand Mufti to secure the release of the Australian national, according to the Australian Associated Press (AAP).

"The mufti risked a lot ... he is not in good health,” Amjad Ali Mehboob, head of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, said.

He added that the Grand Mufti would receive a hero's welcome in Australia after Mr. Wood’s release.

"He has single-handedly as an individual put in a lot of effort to keep him alive," Mehboob said.

"People have said a lot of good things about what he has done."

"He will be joining the Wood family after he has had some check-up and things."

Similar feelings of pleasure were also echoed by other Australian Muslims.

"He has been much maligned in recent times, but I think everyone has to appreciate his efforts in this case," Malcolm Thomas, the president of the Islamic council of Victoria, said.

He stressed that the tirelss efforts of Sheikh Hilali left him in frail health.

"He put himself at great risk for a fellow Australian.”

Muslim organizations in Australia estimate the number of Muslims in Australia at 350,000.