The anti-gay religious leader who announced plans to picket Heath Ledger’s funeral has launched a scathing attack on the actor and his native Australia.

Fred Phelps has targeted Heath over his Academy Award-nominated role as a gay cowboy in the 2005 film Brokeback Mountain.

Now, in a sickening rant, the 78-year-old pastor of a U.S. homosexual hate group known as the Westboro Baptist Church has called Heath’s tragic death at the age of 28 "the best thing that ever happened" to his family.

He also hit out against Australia, branding it "the land of sodom".

The comments were made in an interview with Australian news program,  A Current Affair.

"Dying time is truth time," said Phelps. "This is the best thing that ever happened to that family.

"The bottom line is that guy went out of his way to spend his time and make a little money, and glamorise and glorify that filthy, deadly sin of sodomy.

"And you're (the public) making the hero out of him!"

Phelps also takes a swipe at the Aussie actor's home land.

"Australia, the land of the sodomite-damned. Australia, which passes draconian laws to put Bible preachers in jail if they peach the proof about fags, " says Phelps.
 
Phelps and his small band of followers are well known across the U.S. for protesting the funerals of fallen American soldiers, gay rights parades and other public events.

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