Anti-gay preacher linked to Orlando leaves Australia

Sheikh Farrokh Sekaleshfar has left Australia after anger over comments he has made about putting homosexuals to death

An Islamic preacher who has said homosexuals should be put to death has left Australia.

British-born Shia cleric Sheikh Farrokh Sekaleshfar lectured near Orlando, Florida in April and was being widely quoted in the wake of Sunday's killing.

He was visiting Australia as a guest of Sydney's Imam Husain Islamic Centre. Media reports on Wednesday said Sheikh Sekaleshfar left the country after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ordered a review of his visa.

Australia's immigration minister Peter Dutton said he had officially revoked Sheikh Sekaleshfar's visa and that it would be "very difficult, if not impossible for him to return" to the country.

But Mr Dutton defended his department against accusations that a visa for the sheik should never have been approved.

'It's difficult for the department to go through the Facebook or social media postings of millions of millions of people each year who seek visas,' Mr Dutton told Sky News.