French authorities have closed four mosques in the Paris
region for promoting the ideology of radical Islam under the state
of emergency as France continues to tackle the issue of home-grown
radicalism following a number of high-profile terrorist
attacks.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has issued an order
authorizing the administrative closure of four Muslim preaching
schools in the Paris suburbs of Yvelines, Seine-Saint-Denis and
Val-de-Marne, a statement by the French Interior Ministry says.
The mosques were closed under the state of emergency for the
spread of "hatred and violence," the statement says, adding that
"under the guise of ritual ceremonies, these places [harbored]
meetings aimed at promoting radical ideology, [which is] contrary
to the values of the [French] Republic and may constitute a serious
risk to security and public order."
In the statement, Cazeneuve also reaffirmed his commitment to
"allow the peaceful coexistence of all [places of] worship in
compliance with the laws of the Republic" as well as his
"determination" to protect French citizens and "fight terrorism by
all legal means."
In Val-de-Marne, a clandestine Islamic school was found in late
August in a mosque that was closed on Wednesday. Twelve people who
attended this school were convicted in April for having links to
jihadist groups in Syria.
The mosque in Yvelines had links "to an influential Salafist
movement that advocated rigorous Islam and called for
discrimination, hatred and violence," a decree issued by the
regional prefect said, as cited by Le Parisien.
Many people who previously attended one of the two mosques that
were closed in Seine-Saint-Denis then joined jihadist movements,
French media report, adding that some of them are suspected of
"being behind attempted terrorist attacks in France."
In August, Cazeneuve said that French authorities had closed
about 20 mosques and prayer halls considered to be preaching
radical Islam since December 2015. "There is no place... in France
for those who call for and incite hatred in prayer halls or in
mosques," he said at that time, adding that the closures would
continue.
The minister also said that French authorities were working on a
French foundation for Islam which would guarantee complete
transparency in financing mosques "with rigorous respect for
secular principles."
In July, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said his government
was considering a temporary ban on foreign financing of mosques
following a series of terrorist attacks claimed by Islamic State
(IS, former ISIS/ISIL), including November 2015 Paris attacks, the
July Nice tragedy and the killing of a priest at French church.
There are some 2,500 mosques and prayer halls in France. Of
those, around 120 are considered to be preaching radical Salafism,
a strict Sunni interpretation of Islam.