The Lakemba Mosque in Sydney, the largest in Australia, reportedly received a threat letter on Wednesday, February 18, on the eve of the holy month of Ramzan.
According to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the letter received on Wednesday was the third such note. Gamel Kheir, the Secretary of the Lebanese Muslim Association, which runs the mosque, told ABC that there is a sense of unease in the community due to such letters.
“We’ve had so many inquiries about [whether] it’s safe to go to prayer,” Kheir told ABC. The letter accessed by the ABC had a drawing of a pig and a handwritten threat to “kill the Muslim Community”. Following the incident, the New South Wales police have initiated an investigation into the matter.
Earlier in February, the Lakemba Mosque received a letter via mail that contained a picture of the building on fire.
In January 2026, a threat letter targeted Middle Eastern and First Nations communities, along with several political figures. A 70-year-old man was charged in connection with the letter and produced before a court.
Association seeks security
Following the threat issued on the eve of Ramzan, the association has requested increased security for the Lakemba Mosque. In a written request, the association has demanded more funding, which would be used for additional security guards and CCTV cameras around the mosque.
Kheir said police were cooperative and have increased their presence at the place of worship, but boosting security would not solve the problem entirely.
Premier reacts to threat letters
Reacting to the incident, NSW Premier, Chris Mins said it is the government’s duty to protect all people of Australia … I see very much a silence and a sort of apprehension to make any form of official statement or condemnation of what’s happening at the moment.”
He said that Ramzan is an important time for Muslims in Australia. “I want to make it clear that the NSW Police and the government are there for everybody, to protect your way of life, to ensure that you can go about your religious practices and you can be with your family and community at this time.” Mins concluded.
