Austria
Set To Deport 60 Imams, Close 7 Mosques In Crackdown On "Political
Islam"
9
June, 2018
Austria
announced on Friday that it will likely expel up to 60 Turkish-funded
Imams and their families, and may shutter seven mosques as part of a
crackdown on what they have termed "political Islam,"
reports AFP.
Chancellor
Sebastian Kurz said that Austrian officials will shut a Turkish
nationalist mosque in Vienna, while dissolving a group called the
Arab Religious Community that runs six mosques.
"The circle of people possibly affected by these measures -- the pool that we're talking about -- comprises around 60 imams," said Interior Minister Herbert Kickl of the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), the junior partner in Austria's coalition government.
Kickl was referring to imams with alleged links to the Turkish-Islamic Cultural Associations (ATIB) organisation, a branch of Turkey's religious affairs agency Diyanet.
Kickl added the government suspects them of contravening a ban on foreign funding of religious office holders. -AFP
40
of the Imams have active applications pending to extend their
residency, however a number of them had already been referred to
immigration authorities for expulsion. When family members are
included, a total
of 150 people stand to lose their residency,
Kickl told a Vienna press conference.
The
government actions are based on a 2015 Austrian law that prevents
religious communities from receiving foreign funding.
Turkey
immediately denounced the move, while populist politicians in Europe
praised it.
"Austria’s
decision to close seven mosques and expel imams is a reflection of
the Islamophobic, racist and discriminatory wave in this country. It
is an attempt to target Muslim communities for the sake of scoring
cheap political points," presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin
said on Twitter.
1/Austria’s decision to close seven mosques and expel imams is a reflection of the Islamophobic, racist and discriminatory wave in this country. It is an attempt to target Muslim communities for the sake of scoring cheap political points.
Former
French Presidential candidate Marine Pe Pen lauded the move, tweeting
"Austria is taking things in hand and showing that 'when you
want to, you can!'"
Credo nella libertà di culto, non nell'estremismo religioso. Chi usa la propria fede per mettere a rischio la sicurezza di un Paese va allontanato!
Spero già la prossima settimana di incontrare collega ministro austriaco per confrontarci su linee d’azione. askanews.it/esteri/2018/06…
Spero già la prossima settimana di incontrare collega ministro austriaco per confrontarci su linee d’azione. askanews.it/esteri/2018/06…
And
while Austrian officials prepare to crack down on Imams in a culture
war, former chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel is warning Europeans to
push back against US policies which are disrupting the "international
system of norms."
Schuessel, who also served as president of the European Council, told RT’s Oksana Boyko that the Trump administration posed a serious threat to the “international systems of norms” and should not be allowed to disregard international law with impunity.
Criticizing Washington’s decisions to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and initiate a trade war with its Western allies, Schuessel said that Europe “should stand up and defend our interests.” He suggested that Europe could seek remittal through international bodies such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. -RT
In
other words, Austria is kind of old fashioned.
Erdoğan warns Austrian gov't against crackdown on mosques
President
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday slammed Austria's decision to shut
down seven mosques including a Turkish one and expel some imams from
the country.
Speaking at an iftar dinner organized in Istanbul, Erdoğan warned that the steps taken by Austrian Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz's far-right government might "bring the world closer to a crusader-crescent war."
"You do this and we sit idle? It means we will take some steps too," he said, adding that the "Western world should get their act together."
Speaking at an iftar dinner organized in Istanbul, Erdoğan warned that the steps taken by Austrian Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz's far-right government might "bring the world closer to a crusader-crescent war."
"You do this and we sit idle? It means we will take some steps too," he said, adding that the "Western world should get their act together."
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