Aly is the first female Muslim MP in Federal Parliament. Credit:Gavin Blue Photography "That was specifically a letter of support made to the court specifically when it was going through the sentencing process. "That was the whole purpose of her writing that letter of support." Dr Aly, who will contest the seat of Cowan at the upcoming federal election, fired back at Mr Keenan, saying his comments amounted to a clear smear campaign. "I think it's quite bizarre actually," she told Radio 6PR on Wednesday morning.

"A government that has supported my work - has had praise for my work, not just with the Australian government but with other governments around the world and with the United Nations. "You would think it would be better to have someone with some expertise at this critical time... it would be better to have someone with this expertise in this area in Parliament, rather than fear-mongerers and bullies." Dr Aly - a moderate Muslim - also emphatically denied the letter she wrote was to assist Mr Thorne getting a lighter sentence. "I doubt if minister Keenan has seen that letter if thats what he thinks, because the letter itself was around the discussion I had about possible support within the government's own de-radicalisation framework that I had advised the government on, that I had a hand in helping the government devise," she said. "I was approached by the lawyers - I'm often approached by lawyers or families that are involved with young people that are on the path to de-radicalisation to offer advice, particularly around advice about what things they could access to help in the de-radicalisation process and as part of again, the government's federally-funded intervention framework."

Dr Aly said she was on record opposing everything that Mr Thorne – a self-proclaimed Islamic sheik - stood for. She even claims it was her ridicule of Mr Thorne that led him to flee Perth. "I've done several media reports on Junaid Thorne and quite frankly it was me being outspoken against Thorne and the things he said that eventually led to the demise of his group and him moving over to Sydney," she said. "So I don't know where Mr Keenan is coming from other than just an attempt to smear me." Dr Aly said she continually got deaths threats for her outspoken comments about Muslim radicalisation.

"I do get threats from extreme right-wing groups... they take to social media to try and undermine my work and I've had to live with that," she said. If Dr Aly wins the seat of Cowan in the northern suburbs of Perth next month - it is currently held by the Liberal party with a four per cent margin - she will create history and become the first Muslim woman elected to Parliament. With a recent Fairfax polling showing a 4.5 per cent swing in Cowan - taking that contest to a dead-heat at 50-50 - Labor's high-profile candidate looks a good chance of winning the seat. Follow WAtoday on Twitter