Austria to Shut Down Seven Mosques and Expel Dozens of Imams

By Chris Agee


The Austrian government is pursuing a controversial plan as part of a broader effort to address concerns of radicalization among refugee and immigrant communities.

Amid a wave of right-wing electoral victories, particularly last year’s win by the populist Freedom Party, lawmakers have increasingly targeted Islamic groups for added scrutiny under the country’s so-called law on Islam.

That legislation prohibits any religious group from receiving foreign funds as well as imposes a duty on Muslim groups to respect Austrian tradition through “a positive fundamental view towards state and society.”

In recent statements, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz accused dozens of Islamic leaders of violating the law, revealing that they could be removed from the country or have their visas revoked.

The chancellor, who helped craft the law before he was elected to his current post last year, made his position clear in Friday’s news conference.

“Political Islam’s parallel societies and radicalizing tendencies have no place in our country,” he said.

Government data suggest 40 imams are believed to be part of the Turkish-Islamic Union for Cultural and Social Cooperation in Austria, also known as the ATIB. These individuals receive money directly from Turkey’s religious authority — known as the Diyanet — in violation of Austrian law.

At least 11 of these cases are reportedly under review and two imams involved have already been found to be in violation.

This week’s remarks by Kurz and others suggest even more individuals could have direct monetary ties to the foreign entity.

Austrian officials indicated that as many as 60 imams are thought to belong to the ATIB and Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache said the response being announced at that news conference was “just the beginning.”

Although an ATIB representative recently confirmed Diyanet was paying imams in Austria, he said there are efforts in place to shift those payments to a domestic source.

“We are currently working on having imams be paid from funds within the country,” Yasar Ersoy said.

In addition to the individual imams found to be in violation of Austrian law, leaders say at least seven mosques are set to be shuttered for alleged links to extremism.

The Grey Wolves, a Turkish nationalist youth organization, operates one illegal mosque in Vienna, according to the Austrian government. Another six believed to be funded and operated by a different entity will also be shut down.

Despite the legal and national security arguments for their actions toward some within Austria’s Islamic population, Turkish leaders have decried the recent announcements as bigoted.

In a statement, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan described Austria’s response as evidence of an “Islamophobic, racist and discriminatory wave” within the country.

Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin went further in a tweet posted Friday.

The Austrian government’s ideologically charged practices are in violation of universal legal principles, social integration policies, minority rights and the ethics of co-existence. Efforts to normalize Islamophobia and racism must be rejected under all circumstances.

“The Austrian government’s ideologically charged practices are in violation of universal legal principles, social integration policies, minority rights and the ethics of co-existence,” he wrote. “Efforts to normalize Islamophobia and racism must be rejected under all circumstances.”



Facebook has greatly reduced the distribution of our stories in our readers' newsfeeds and is instead promoting mainstream media sources. When you share to your friends, however, you greatly help distribute our content. Please take a moment and consider sharing this article with your friends and family. Thank you.






Parkland Sheriff's Office a Muslim Haven

by Staff


The fact that the Parkland Sheriff has participated in election campaigning at a local Mosque and has Muslims on his force brings into question both the veracity and objectivity of the Sheriff's department regarding the school shooting. "In the weeks since the tragic shooting occurred in Parkland, Florida, we have learned that cops cowered outside instead of helping, the police and FBI were all warned on multiple occasions that the alleged shooter, Nikolas Cruz, told people he was going to shoot up the school, nearly two dozen people reported Cruz for death threats, and first responders were told to stand down. Now, we are finding out that the surveillance footage from the school — which the public has a right to see — is being deliberately kept secret by the Broward county sheriff — which many say is illegal.."

Praise Allah, Good thing the Parland, FL Sheriff's department didn’t arrest Cruz, it might have been a black spot on their perfect record.  What are the odds that this up standing Muslim, pillar of the community, wasn’t one of the big brave Deputies that stood outside and listened to the screams and gunshots as they hid behind their cars?

  

According to thr Sun -Sentinel, the Jewish Sheriff is no stranger to contoversy and political intrigue.  He has been caught accepting contibutions from a PAC supporting his reelection involving a felon indicted for being part of the Cuban Mafia.  The Sheriff was also involved in corruption in the hiring of political supporters.

His Deputy Nezar Hamze is a member of CAIR and a spokesman for the vitimization of Islam whenever there are incidents.  Amazingly, the Sheriff advises muslims to arm themselves against active shooters but apparently NOT the local schools.  "Broward County Deputy & CAIR FL employee Nezar Hamze found time 2 instruct mosque attendees 2 arm themselves against active shooters, but Sheriff opposes arming teachers.

  Muslim Deputy camping for Islam.     Sheriff Israel campaigning at local Mosque

The Sherriff also works with CAIR, an unindicted co-conspirator in terror with the Muslim Brotherhood with ties to Hamas and is an associate of Hillary Clinton.   "During his time as county sheriff, Scott Israel has repeatedly cozied up to radical Islamic groups. In a seeming attempt to build bridges, he has elevated several mosques with congregants and leaders who have detailed connections to terrorist organizations.

Worse, one of Sheriff Israel’s veteran deputies is Nezar Hamze, a top officer at the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR)....There was no greater indication that Sheriff Israel was not fit to lead than his decision to partner with a group founded to support Islamic terrorism. If the Broward County Sheriff’s Department seeks to reform, it should focus on police work and not enter into partnerships that corrupt the legitimacy of law enforcement officers." 

The sheriif and his department represent more of a 5th column intent on destroying America than a law enforcement agency enforcing the law and protecting its community.  It takes on the appearance of the 'pay for play' criminal mantra of the Clinton organization.