Austria to close seven mosques and deport imams in crackdown on ‘political Islam’
by Tom Barnes, Independent:
Coalition government says move is ‘just the beginning’ as Turkey brands policy Islamophobic.
Austria plans to shut seven mosques and expel dozens of imams in what politicians have described as a crackdown on “political Islam”.
The country’s coalition government, formed of conservative and far-right figures, said the measures were “just the beginning” of a push against radical Islam and foreign funding of religious groups.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said authorities would shut what was described as a “hardline, Turkish nationalist mosque” in Vienna and also dissolve a group called the Arab Religious Community.
“Political Islam’s parallel societies and radicalising tendencies have no place in our country,” said Mr Kurz, who rose to power last year after his People’s Party formed a coalition with the anti-migrant Freedom Party.
The measures are being carried out under the premise of Austria’s “law on Islam” – legislation introduced in 2015 banning the foreign funding of religious groups.
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