Jones lost his appeal against a 2009 Administrative Decisions Tribunal ruling that a broadcast on his radio show on April 28, 2005, “incited hatred, serious contempt and severe ridicule of Lebanese Muslims”.
The comments made by Jones, reading a letter regarding current affairs show TV footage of young Lebanese men taunting police the day before ANZAC Day in Sydney, were deemed to be racist after he called Sydney’s Lebanese Muslims “vermin” who “infest our shores” and “rape” and “pillage” our nation.
A $10,000 damages payment has been held from Sydney Lebanese leader Keysar Trad, who made the complaint, until the appeal process was complete. That will now be released.
Trad claimed Jones made three sets of inflammatory comments about Muslims in April 2005, but the tribunal decided Jones had to answer for one of the broadcasted comments.
The other comments by Jones, found not to be vilification, were in regard to statements made by about Muslim sheik, Faiz Mohammad, who suggested it was the fault of women wearing suggestive clothing if they were sexually assaulted.
Mr Trad said he was please with the ruling on one comment and happy that the tribunal had ordered Jones to apologise on air and in writing for calling Lebanese Muslims “vermin”.
“We want a proper heartfelt apology, we have been waiting for seven years for an apology,” Mr Trad said.
“We hope that this apology won’t add to the insult like the apology he gave to Prime Minister Julia Gillard,” Mr Trad said.
Mr Trad said he had borrowed $100,000 to fight the case against Jones, but the tribunal hasn’t yet decided if Jones should have to pay part any of his costs.
