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December 12, 2004
Is France trying to control Islam?
Topics: War on Terror - the issues.Middle-East-Online reports, Dec 12 - France moves to shape Islam by training Muslim prayer leaders in French and civic studies.
PARIS - France intends to shape Islam on its territory by training Muslim prayer leaders in French and civic studies, Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin said Wednesday.
"French imams speaking French, that is our goal," he told parliament.
Currently more than a third of the 1,200 imams, or Muslim prayer leaders practicing in France, "don't speak our language, which is unacceptable for our republic," he said.
He was responding to questions about a plan he unveiled Tuesday in which imams would have to undergo studies in law, sociology and French institutions in state universities before being permitted to preach in the 1,685 mosques and Islamic prayer rooms around the country.
Click image to enlarge.
Theological studies would continue to be carried out in recognised Islamic institutes.
De Villepin's reform would also see the establishment in January of ministry units involving domestic intelligence agents and police specialised in cracking down on radical Islam, and, from April, the launch of a Foundation for Islam that would help finance the building of mosques. Read More..
This is the De Villepin that worked so hard against the U.S. before the Iraq war? Is France having a little trouble with radical Islamists? It looks like France may be waking up to the crisis of radical Islam, finally. At least this is a start. The Dutch have already started moving in the direction of requiring Imams to speak Dutch, with a Dutch PM having proposed a language requirement for Holland. One final issue here, what business is it of the French government to spend French taxpayers' money building mosques? Are they building any Catholic or Protestant Churches? We all know the answer to that question!
Posted by Hyscience at December 12, 2004 12:37 AM
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- Is France trying to control Islam? - Dec 12, 2004
