May 14, 2004 17:30

KISS STAR CAUSES FURORE IN MUSLIM COMMUNITY

Gene Simmons labels Islam a "vile" culture - which leads to a storm of protest...

KISS bass player GENE SIMMONS has angered the Muslim community after labelling Islam a "vile" culture on a live radio interview

Israeli born Simmons, who is currently on tour in Australia, launched the attack on Melbourne’s 3AW radio.

"Extremism believes that it's okay to strap bombs on to your children and send them to paradise and whatever else and to behead people," he said yesterday (May 13).

"Your dog, however, can walk side by side, your dog is allowed to have its own dog house... you can send your dog to school to learn tricks, sit, beg, do all that stuff – none of the women have that advantage."

Simmons also warned that the West was under threat, and that the Untited Nations didn’t work, adding the West must "speak softly and carry a big stick".

"This is a vile culture and if you think for a second that it's going to just live in the sands of God's armpit you've got another thing coming," he said. "They want to come and live right where you live and they think that you're evil."

The station was flooded with complaints, including Australian Muslim of the year Susan Carland, who contested Simmons’ views of extremism. Carland has two degrees and said "I certainly do not walk behind my husband."

The chairman of the Islamic Council of Victoria, Yasser Soliman said: "He's very famous obviously and popular and, as a result, influential."

He added: "Mixing the entertainment world with the political and religious world is a minefield."

"A number of his claims regarding women and what they are allowed to do and not do are wrong – Islam teaches the opposite," he said reports The Australian.

"I think it would be good for overseas speakers and commentators to be given some sort of advice in regards to our vilification laws here," he said.

"They leave and go back to where they arrived from, but they leave behind a big mess that we have to live with."