February 25, 2025
Australians have attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in Lebanon, posing for selfies beside posters of the terrorist and filming his coffin.
Nasrallah, who was killed by Israel in September, was responsible for the murder of thousands during his three-decade reign of Hezbollah.
He also led prolific attacks against Israel from October 8, 2023.
Sky News can reveal Sydney-based religious leader, Abed AlMajeed Mourtada, attended Nasrallah's funeral.
Photographs and videos posted to social media show that he had prime seating in front of the stage, at the centre of the stadium.
Sky News submitted questions to Mourtada who confirmed that he did attend the funeral.
“Yes, I’m a proud Australian citizen. I flew to Lebanon to pay my respects to our beloved and esteemed clergy,” he said.
In Australia, he works as a religious and scout leader, teaching youth including children.
Another Australian, called Miriam, has also posted videos from Nasrallah’s funeral.
She wrote as a caption on one video:“4 Israeli jets flew above us twice.”
She also shared footage of mourners touching a coffin, writing: “Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah”.
Miriam posed for photographs in front of many tributes to Nasrallah.
On her Instagram account, she documented her travel route to Beirut, via Abu Dhabi.
In Australia, she has a children’s hair-braiding business where she claims on the Instagram page that “100 per cent of profits go to Palestine and Lebanon.”
Another Australian who has been posting prolifically on social media from the funeral ceremony is Ishaq Zein.
He posted a picture with a group of men at a cafe who he said were the Australian contingent, writing “Aussie crew.”
Zein said he arrived at 5am and the stadium filled up until, he claimed, there were 1.4 million people there.
Clearly emotional, Zein wrote on social media: “I’m just trying to process the most emotional day of my life. I can’t even put into words what I experienced today. Crying in the arms of brothers before even knowing their names. I’m glad I was granted to(sic) opportunity to be int he presence of history and take it all in.”
Of Nasrallah, Zein wrote that he was “a giant of a man. In a coffin. Didn’t think I’d see the day nor did it feel real.”
In another post, he filmed the destruction from the war and said: “Their day will come god willing.”
Also at the funeral was Hassan Jaber, who says he lives in Sydney, Australia, and has posted footage from the Palestinian protests at Hyde Park.
He shared a photograph of himself at Nasrallah’s funeral, along with countless videos.
The funeral procession at a large stadium in Beirut was also for Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah’s successor who was also killed in an Israeli airstrike.
Shadow home affairs minister James Paterson said no Australian citizen or visa holder should mourn the death of a terrorist like Hassan Nasrallah, let alone attend his funeral.
“The Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke should explain why these people were allowed to travel to an event organised by a listed terrorist organisation and whether he will use the powers available to him to block their return to Australia,” he said.
“If they are non-citizens, their visas should be cancelled without hesitation. If they are citizens they should be immediately investigated for associating with Hezbollah which is a serious terrorism offence under the Commonwealth Criminal Code. “We must send a strong message that there is no place for terrorist sympathizers in Australia.”
Dr David Adler, President of the Australian Jewish Association said: "If they are non citizens, they should be deported from this country. If they are dual citizens, consideration should be given to stripping Australian citizenship and then deporting them and if they are just Australian citizens, then the full force of the law under the Criminal Code act must be taken."
Hezbollah is a proscribed terror organisation and support for a terrorist organisation is banned in Australia.
It’s a criminal offence to openly support terrorism.
There are also new hate speech laws which prohibit the waving of proscribed symbols - such as a Hezbollah flag.
Sky News asked the Department of Home Affairs whether travel to Nasrallah’s funeral would breach the laws that prohibit support for a terrorist organisation.
Sky News also asked whether authorities were aware that individuals were flying from Australia to Lebanon, seemingly with the purpose of attending the funeral and, if so, why they were allowed to leave the country.
Sky News also provided Home Affairs with the details of the social media accounts.
A spokesperson said: “The department does not comment on individuals, including travel movements or citizenship status".
“Anyone suspecting criminal activity is urged to contact law enforcement agencies.”
Home Affairs and Border Force does have the power to stop people leaving the country if they suspect they're involved in terrorism. Secondly, Australia also has the power to temporarily prevent someone returning to Australia if the authorities believe they pose a threat.
When he was killed, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said Nasrallah was not someone Australians should be mourning.
“There’s no place for mourning a terrorist leader, and we’re very concerned about some of the terrorist symbols. It’s completely unacceptable,” Mr Albanese said at the time.
Yet, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s department has not stopped Australians from travelling to Lebanon to attend his funeral.