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December 5, 2005
Sweden: The Tide of Islam
Today's Christian Science Monitor reports on the increasing numbers of Muslims in Malmo, southern Sweden, who feel as if they are living on the edge.
Bejzat Bacirov of the Malmo Islamic Centre believes the rioting which happened in Paris will soon be happening in Malmo. Bacirov's mosque recently had a firebomb attack, the second in just over four weeks.
We reported an attack on the 18 September which caused only a small amount of damage. Then the mosque was firebombed again on October 21. A man sleeping in the mosque was admitted to hospital after inhaling smoke.
The two recent fires pale into insignificance when compared to a fire which was started deliberately in the mosque and adjoining buildings, which took place in 2003. On November 16 we wrote of the significant damage the fires caused to the mosque's insurance status. Their insurers say they cannot cover fires any more.
Becirov wrote to Sweden's prime minister, Goran Persson: "Next time we're under threat of sabotage and terrorism it will become impossible to rebuild the centre, we won't be able to get a loan to do so either".
Becirov is of Macedonian origin, and in 1984, he founded the first mosque in the city of Malmo, which is on the southern tip of Sweden, 380 miles south of Stockholm, the capital. The Malmo Islamic Centre was only opened shortly before its first fire.
Speaking of the sabotage, Becirov said "It's been like hell on earth to deal with this whole process."
Becirov's Islamic Centre has meetings where Sunni and Shia alike take part. He is widely perceived as a moderate, and among a new younger generation of Muslims in Malmo, his moderate views are being dismissed.
The Christian Science Monitor journalist, James Brandon, spoke to young Muslims who felt alienated from Becirov and his ideals. One Palestinian refugee said the imam said one thing yet did another. He claimed the imam drank and did other un-Islamic things.
A researcher from Malmo University, Aje Carlborn has been examining a suburb of Malmo called Rosengaard for ten years. "These neighborhoods are hunting grounds for Islamists but how many and how organized [they are] it's impossible to say," he said.
The alienation which leads some young Muslims to entertain notions of violent jihad appears to be growing. A report on November 24 in The Local wrote of a survey carried out among Swedish Muslims. The report concluded that four out of ten Muslims have been threatened. They were respondents to a survey carried out for Swedish Radio's programme Ekot.
Three out of ten Swedish Muslims have been actual victims of attack, vandalism or criminal damage. Bejzat Becirov then stated that his mosque receives threatening mail "almost every day".
A report by Reuters from November 23 stated
A poll by Sweden's Integration Board in September showed that while the country was more tolerant towards foreigners, it had grown less positive towards Muslims, with 40 percent saying they did not want a mosque in their neighbourhood.The Reuters article also noted that in Denmark, racist attacks grew "by a third in the first eight months this year, compared to 2004.""Islam has become the bottom of the pecking order, a type of new enemy," Helena Benauda, head of the Swedish Muslim Council, said when the poll was published. "I fear it will get even worse after the terrorist attack in London this summer."
Norway too appears to be moving away from the multi-culturalist standpoint. In a September election, the anti-immigration Progress Party won 22% of the seats in parliament.
In Sweden, Muslims make up 5% of the population. Klas Bergenstrand, Director-General of SAPO security service, stated that elements of extremism could always be found when people are not assimilated.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at December 5, 2005 7:31 PM
Comments
MAY PEACE BE UPON YOUR SOUL, HEART, MIND, AND BODY...AMEN.
Posted by: sara at December 6, 2005 12:53 AM
Are people finally waking up to Islam and what it represents. Can these Muslims be surprised that the terror and violence they worship is now being met with the same terror and violence directed at themselves? They live by the sword and they will die by it. Bye bye Islamic caliphate, hello growing resistance to your perverse death cult.
Posted by: Dhimi-destroyer at December 6, 2005 7:33 AM
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