The ABC has admitted to a lapse in judgment after letting a former terrorism suspect appear live on its Q&A program.



Host Tony Jones was forced to shut down comments by Zaky Mallah, who said views held by some in the federal government were giving many Australian Muslims cause to join Islamic State militants.

PM says Q&A 'a lefty lynch mob'

The ABC has agreed to an external review of its Q&A program, government MPs have been told.

"We all know Q&A is a lefty lynch mob," Prime Minister Tony Abbott told a meeting of the coalition parties in Canberra, amid fury over a verbal clash between parliamentary secretary Steve Ciobo and a man convicted of threatening Commonwealth officials during Monday night's program.

Mr Abbott flagged a possible boycott of the program by government ministers and other MPs.

'They don't call me 'Mr pot stirrer' for no reason'

On Tuesday Mr Mallah was unrepentant, declaring on his twitter feed that he was pleased to be making headlines.



"They don't call me 'Mr pot stirrer' for no reason! Ha! Good morning Australia," he wrote.



The ABC has admitted to an error of judgment, and is reviewing the circumstances around Mr Mallah's appearance.



"The Q&A program made an error in judgment in allowing Zaky Mallah to join the audience and ask a question," director of ABC Television Richard Finlayson said in a statement.

In 2005 Mallah was cleared of preparing a suicide attack on a Commonwealth building but was jailed for two years after admitting he'd threatened to take workers hostage at the ASIO or DFAT offices when he was refused a passport.



Mr Mallah rounded on senior Liberal Steven Ciobo on Monday night after the MP told Q&A he'd be pleased to be part of a government that would kick Mr Mallah out of Australia, despite his acquittal on the terror charges.



"The Liberals have just justified to many Australian Muslims in the community tonight to leave and go to Syria and join ISIL because of ministers like him," Mr Mallah replied, prompting Mr Jones to intervene.



Soon after the program aired on Monday, Mr Mallah tweeted: "I would pay to see that minister dumped on ISIS territory in Iraq!"



Pat Loria, an associate librarian at the University of Western Sydney, started an #IStandWithZakyMallah campaign on social media in support of Mr Mallah, who he described as a victim of bullying.



An hour later it was yet to be retweeted or taken up by other Twitter users.

