Norway mosques under threat of attacks

Cairo, NU Online
Terrifying Muslims in Norway, an anonymous extremist group has threatened to burn all mosques across the Northwest European country, sparking angry reactions from the peaceful religious minority.<>

“This is a result of attitudes that we have seen building for a long time,” Mehtab Afsar, the Islamic Council's secretary general, told The Local.

“There is a sense of fear among our members who believe that this is starting to get a little serious.”

The Muslim leader was concerned about the latest threats to burn all mosques across Norway.

The anti-mosque campaign was announced when an anonymous group sent an e-mail to World Islamic Mission Mosque threatening to burn all mosques across Norway.

"Before 2013 is over, all mosques in Norway be burned to the ground,” the anonymous group said as quoted by onislam.net.

“We are a group of men who have planned this for seven years.”

The campaign was followed by a series of attacks targeting Muslim mosques in Norway.

Last Thursday, Muslim worshippers found a severed pig’s head outside Norway's largest mosque, Central Jamaat-e Ahl-e Sunnat, in Oslo.

A day earlier, before Muslims came to pray on Friday, a huge banner of a sausage was erected outside a mosque in Fredrikstad, with the inscription "Always a wiener for a Muslim" written on it.

“Many people were very angry and I am also angry,” Mohamed Hassan, a Somali-Norwegian, told The Local newspaper.

“I would never do something like that to others where they pray. They are insulting other peoples’ religion.”

Seeking Attention

Leading Muslim leaders have denounced the threats, dismissing them as from a group seeking attention.

“I think this is just some crazies who want attention,” Ghulam Sarwar, Chairman of the Norway branch of Jamaat Ahle Sunnat told TV2.

Norwegian Muslims are estimated at 150,000 out of the country's 4.5 million population, mostly of Pakistan, Somali, Iraqi and Moroccan backgrounds.

There are nearly 90 Muslim organizations and Islamic centers across the northern European country.

In 2011, at least 76 people were killed and scores injured in twin anti-Islam attacks which targetd a government building in Oslo and a youth training camp on the nearby island of Utoya.

After the incidents, Oslo police had several meetings with the Islamic Council of Norway. Police confirmed that they look the issue very seriously.

Following repeated threats to Muslims, Oslo police confirmed that they are taking the issue seriously, undertaking heavy security precautions.

They have also held several meetings with Islamic council to ensure security.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq