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March 7, 2006
Norway: Muslim Violence May Curtail Oslo Mosque's Funding
We described the undignified brawling at the Markazi Jamaat Ahle Sunnat mosque in the district of Gronland, Oslo, at the Friday evening prayer meeting on March 03. In this fighting, the imam of the mainly Pakistani congregation, Malik Mohammad Raza, was attacked and injured. Knives and bats were used in the fighting, leading at least three people to be hospitalised.
Yesterday, we mentioned that police had taken five people into custody, in connection with the violence, which had also involved a local politician from the Labour party, Khalid Mahmood.
Mahmood claimed that he had been a victim in the attack, and had been injured, though police reported that there was no evidence to support his claim. The imam said that Khalid Mahmood had been one of the men who had attacked him.
Today, Aftenposten reports that the administrator of Oslo and Akershus County has warned that the financial aid which the mosque receives from the state may be curtailed.
The County Governor's office made a statement on national television, saying that if illegal activities are linked to the mosque, it could lose its funding from Norwegian tax-payers.
Last year, the Markazi Jamaat Ahle Sunnat received the equivalent of $211,000 in state funding.
Aftenposten states that financial support to religious institutions is usually only withdrawn if human rights abuses can be demonstrated.
As we reported in November last year, Karita Bekkemellen, the Norwegian Equality Minister said that mosques in Norway which supported wife-beating, such as the World Islamic Mission in Gronland, Oslo, led by Syed Ikram Jilani, could have their funding withdrawn.
The fighting at the Markazi Jamaat Ahle Sunnat mosque, which has a congregation of at least 5,000 appears to be the result of squabbles between different factions within the mosque, struggling for control of the finances.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at March 7, 2006 7:02 AM
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