THE managers of a mosque where a muslim prayer leader was charged with allegedly touching the breasts of two teenagers and a grandmother say they are "shocked" by the allegations.

The 59-year-old Egyptian national, Ahmed Alkahly, who is visiting a Northern Beaches mosque for the period of Ramadan, was charged last night after he allegedly indecently assaulted three separate women.

We just can't believe it," a spokesman for the Islamic Society of Manly-Warringah, which runs the Dee Why Masjid Mosque where Alkahly was working as a guest prayer leader said.

"We're shocked, absolutely shocked."

The spokesman said Alkahly had been sent as part of a larger delegation from Egypt.

"The Egyptian government sent him," he said. "He was part of a large group."

"The Australian Federation of Islamic Council received them and decide who went where.

"Some mosques got two or three, some one or two, Dee Why got one."

He said Alkahly was in Australia on a tourist visa and was making guest appearances as a prayer leader for the special night meetings around Ramadan and had denied the allegations against him.

"I don't know how much to say because he denies the allegation," he said.

The events have distressed members of the Northern Beaches mosque with a statement on the group's official website claiming the imam had received abusive emails.

"We would like to inform the public that he is NOT the imam of Dee Why Mosque nor he is directly employed by us," the statement reads.

"Please refrain from sending abusive emails to Dee Why Mosque's imam as he has nothing to do with this."

Police said a 16-year-old girl was approached by a man and allegedly indecently assaulted as she walked through a reserve in Dee Why on Monday.

Then yesterday, a 57-year-old woman and another 16-year-old girl were both allegedly indecently assaulted by a man on Dee Why Beach.

Detectives from Northern Beaches Local Area Command were alerted and commenced an investigation into the incidents.

Following inquiries, detectives arrested the 59-year-old Egyptian National in Dee Why late yesterday.

He was taken to Dee Why Police Station where he was charged with three counts of indecent assault and was given bail to appear at North Sydney Local Court on 5 August 2013.

Dee Why locals said the man had been seen on the beach approaching people and shaking their hands.

###