Pro-Terror DVD's Not Banned Under Australia's Censorship Laws

While Quentin Tarantino's films are shown in Australia as "restricted" viewing, a new pro-terrorism DVD has passed the review board with just a "PG" rating.

Politicians are angered over the decision to give the DVD package, prepared by the radical Sheik Feiz Mohammed, such a minor rating considering the material condemns the Jewish faith, praises the murder of infidels and encourages children to martyr themselves.

When the decision was announced, the NSW government and the Jewish community quickly voiced their disdain and recommended that the rating be reconsidered.

Last week, acting NSW premier John Watkins told News Limited, "It's very clear in this situation that it's the Federal Office of Film and Literature Classification who have the authority to classify these films. They have done so and they believe, it seems, that children should be able to see such a film. I disagree with that absolutely."

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies chief executive Vic Alhadeff condemned the film, but also said he understood the concept of free speech. However, Mr Alhadeff continued, the films material impinges on the right to profess ones own religion.

In the DVD's, people of Jewish faith are referred to as "pigs."

Federal Opposition legal affairs spokesman Senator Joe Ludwig is agreeing with other politicians and prominent people in saying that the films require a higher rating. He urged Attorney-General Philip Ruddock to change the situation.

Mr Ludwig told AAP, "Mr Ruddock must explain how a Jihad video by Sheik Feiz Mohammed was given the same rating as "The Neverending Story" and "Back to the Future" parts 1, 2 and 3."

The Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) has banned films in the past in Australia and given high ratings to entertainment films which promote violence.

The Tarantino "Kill Bill" series, for example, was rated "R" in Australia, restricting the viewing to those over the page of 18. In 2003, the film community was angered over the decision by the OFLC to ban Australian screenings of "Ken Park", a film which depicted real, not simulated, sex between minors.

However, according to Mr Ruddock, the OFLC blames lax laws on the decision, saying, "The law did not give them sufficient capacity to refuse classification of this particular product''.

In order to change the rating, Mr Ruddock has instructed states and territories to change censorship laws to stop hate films from being released.

Mr Ruddock said that in order to get the current rating reviewed, he needs three other representatives to protest with him - the publisher, someone who applied for the classification and a person distressed by the films content.

Australian born, Islamic cleric Sheik Mohammed is currently in exile in Lebanon but is reportedly still preaching jihad to followers in Australia via telephone.