An Islamic fundamentalist group which is being actively monitored by the FBI plans to build the largest mosque in Britain within yards of the new Olympic Village being created for the 2012 games in East London.
The group Tablighi Jamaat has come under scrutiny from western security agencies since the Twin Towers bombing. Two years ago, according to The New York Times, a senior FBI anti-terrorism official claimed it was a recruiting ground for Al-Qaeda. British police investigated a report that Mohammad Sidique Khan, leader of the July 7 London bombers, had attended its present headquarters in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. In August, Bavaria expelled three members of the organisation on the grounds that it promoted Islamic extremism.
40,000 capacity
The mosque will be built over three storeys and when complete will be Britain’s largest religious building, capable of holding 40,000 worshippers, according to today’s (London) Times, eclipsing Europe’s largest mosque which is in Rotterdam and hold 1,500 worshippers. This compares to a modest 3,000 for the UK’s largest place of Christian worship, the 3,000 seater Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool.
Alongside the giant mosque which will be just 500yrds from the Olympic Village in Stratford will be a complex of buildings including hotel style accommodation, a library and a school.
Labour controlled Newham Council is working with developers and planning permission is expected to be granted next year. The £100 M cost is being raised by private funds from UK and overseas.
Contrast
According to a report published by the Ecclesiological Society earlier this year, one CoE church is closing every week in England and Wales and £50 M is needed every year to maintain the country’s 12,000 listed churches.
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2 responses so far ↓
1 snowflake // May 21, 2006 at 11:16 am
Why are they building a mosque in this country, this country is a Christian country! Is this country sleeping, we should wake up-they’re trying to take over!
2 snowflake // May 21, 2006 at 11:25 am
I’m a Christian, why do they want to build a mosque here? If you carry a bible in their country, they will kill you. But why do they want to come and build a mosque in a christian country? If we were to build a church in the mist of them in their country, they would kill everyone who enters there. The christians in their country live in fear, so why should we except them? If people come and see a mosque in this country, they will think we are all Islamic. What about 9 11, are we on the same side as the people who caused it?-Then why are we supporting them? I have an 8 year old son and I brought him up in a Christian home, what will happen when he grows up-to his generation? Give me answers, and reply to me!
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