CANBERRA, August 23, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Australian Prime Minister John Howard met Muslim leaders Tuesday, August 23, in a bid to prevent the kind of attacks that have hit other Iraq war allies, but came under fire for excluding from the talks groups his government dubs "radical".

Howard told the 14 Muslim delegates at Parliament House that he approached the meeting in a spirit of goodwill and friendship but was concerned that some in the minority encouraged violence and hatred, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"There are some who do give comfort and aid, and encouragement, and succor to terrorism," he said.

"And our responsibility is to work together to identify the causes of that, to prevent the spread of it and to do everything we can to enlist the great mainstream of the Islamic community in Australia."

The prime minister has been criticized for leaving more "radical Islamic leaders" out of the meeting, but said he did not want to "provide a forum for fanatics".

However, president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils Ameer Ali said he would have preferred "radicals" to be included so "we can expose their views and counter their views".

Another conference delegate, Mohammed Taha Alsalami of the local Iraqi Muslim Council, told The Australian newspaper that Australia had a "real problem with extremists" and urgent action was needed to prevent an explosion of violence.

A "tiny minority of religious zealots and fanatics" was preaching a doctrine of hatred and violence in Australia, he said.

Some 300,000 Muslims make up just 1.5 percent of Australia's population of 20 million.

Meanwhile, Muslim leaders pledged Tuesday to defend the country against "terrorism", disowned Osama bin Laden and accepted differences with the government over the Iraq invasion.

Howard and Ali told a joint news conference that delegates had agreed on their loyalty to Australia and their rejection of terrorism.

Asked whether the Muslim delegates had denounced Al Qaeda leader -- once described by an uninvited radical scholar as a "good man" -- Howard and Ali said this was implied.

"No one supports him," Ali said, describing the scholar's comment as "stupid."

"It goes without saying that the majority of the community do not see him as a Muslim leader. He is not in the main group, his activities are not welcome, there's no reservation in that."

Ali added the Muslim leaders had denounced extremism, terrorism and the teaching of hatred, and saw themselves as Australians.

"We believe in the Australian family, we are all members of the same family. We have an unreserved commitment to the safety and security of this nation, of all the groups that live in this country, so that we can live in a peaceful harmonious society in the future," he said.

Howard and Ali stressed the Muslim minority's anti-terror stance. (Reuters)

The summit came one day after young Australian Muslims urged for the adoption of "Modernizing Muslims Six Point Plan" presented during Youth Forum, in a bid for imams to be trained and accredited to ensure their teachings fit a modern, multi-cultural Australia.