Preachers claim win

EVANGELICAL preachers Danny Nalliah and Danny Scot were claiming a victory for free speech yesterday after a court set aside orders forcing them to apologise to Muslims for racial vilification.

The Victorian Court of Appeal ruled in favour of Catch the Fire Ministries and its two pastors -- ordering the matter return to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal -- in a case sparked by comments that Muslims were demons training to make Australia an Islamic state.

Last year, the VCAT ordered the church to correct and apologise for the comments, made during a seminar by Mr Scot, in a newsletter by Mr Nalliah and on the church's website.

The tribunal agreed with the Islamic Council of Victoria that the church's conduct incited hatred against the Islamic faith.

In the Court of Appeal, the church argued that VCAT erred in its interpretation of the law.

But Waleed Aly, of the Islamic Council of Victoria, said the ruling was not a victory for anything and was only a decision on a legal technicality.

AAP