Lawyer Meor Amir Meor Omar Baki, who is appearing for Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, said the tentative date was fixed as parties were still negotiating the amount of money to be deposited here before the trial starts.
“A hearing (on the security for costs) will not be held if the defendant (Zamihan) agrees to our proposal, ” he told reporters after a case management today before justice Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim.
Such a demand is made when the plaintiff is a foreigner and the defendant cannot obtain costs if the suit is dismissed.
In September, Philips filed a suit against Zamihan for labelling him an “international terrorism supporter” in his Facebook postings.
In his statement of claim, Philips said Zamihan had been making posts since November last year, which also displayed a photograph of him and a label saying he was a supporter of international terrorism.
Philips said the words used to describe him were false, defamatory and baseless, as he strove to promote peace and rejected terrorism carried out in the name of Islam.
Philips said Zamihan’s allegation implied he was engaged in terrorism and violence, and that his lectures were designed to achieve that objective.
Philips said there were 119 Facebook shares of the post when the suit was filed, and that Zamihan had made further remarks on the original post on his page.
The renowned preacher, who converted to Islam in the 1970s and who was dubbed one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world this year, is seeking RM1 million in general damages as well as aggravated and exemplary damages deemed fit by the court.
In his defence, Zamihan said the statement on Philip’s involvement in terrorist-linked activities was sourced from news reports that appeared in the National Post and The Guardian, as well as from the police.
Zamihan alleged the plaintiff was banned from entering several countries such as Germany, Britain, Denmark and Kenya.