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November 13, 2007
Switzerland: Muslim Shoots Worshipper At Mosque
News from Focus-Fen, Deutsche-Presse Agentur, and Reuters via Australia's Mercury and New Zealand's TVNZ.
Late on Monday, a solitary gunman entered a mosque in Crissier, Vaud canton, and opened fire with a military assault rifle. About 10 people were in the Islamic Center when the 23-year old man entered the building.
The gunman, aged 23, was a Muslim and a Swiss national who had undergone military service. The weapon and ammunition he possessed had been issued to him during his army service. Switzerland's militia system allows soldiers to keep weapons and ammunitions at their own residences, a move which has been criticized.
He had been spotted by police at nearby Bussigny-pres-Lausanne carrying a gun. They followed him, but by this time he had entered the prayer room on the first floor (US second floor) and had opened fire on the worshippers inside. A 43-year old worshipper had been shot in the abdomen. Thee gunman was overpowered on the floor by the other worshippers.
Police spokesman Jean-Christophe Sauterel said that no motive had been established for the gunman's actions.
Update: Kuwaiti News Agency reports that the gunman is of Kosovar origin. 12 shots were fired, but only one person was hit. The victim is now said to be out of danger.
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As the gunman is a Muslim, there appears to be no "religious antagonism" in his action. However, there have been problems in Switzerland recently with many Swiss objecting to the construction of minarets, changing the skyline of towns. This problem has also caused hostile reactions and concern in the Netherlands and Germany. An interesting report on this can be found in an article by Ian Traynor from last month, published in South Africa's Mail & Guardian.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at November 13, 2007 9:24 AM
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