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Britain
THE £1.6MILLION MOSQUE .. AT HOOK'S JAIL
2004-11-09
BRITAIN'S toughest jail is to build a £1.6million mosque for prisoners including hook-handed preacher Abu Hamza. Muslim inmates at Belmarsh Prison, who include Hamza and other suspected al-Qaeda terrorists, have objected to praying in a multi-denominational chapel where they have to cover up Christian crosses. Now prison chiefs have controversially agreed to give them a separate place of worship with its own dome and minaret. Detailed plans for the 150ft x 150ft site on a former pig farm disused land will be put before Greenwich Borough Council for approval after the Prison Service gave the green light. The mosque is expected to be built next year.

Yesterday Brian Caton, General Secretary of the Prison Officers Association, attacked the decision. He said: "We recognise the Prison Service's obligation to provide places of worship. However, we don't believe that spending a huge amount of money at this time is in the best interests of prisoners or staff. At a time when prison overcrowding is running wild, contagious diseases are massively on the increase and we have financial problems in prisons, to identify the £1.6million for a mosque for a single denomination is clearly wrong. What would serve prisoners better would be to expand existing areas to ensure that they can be used by all denominations. This is clearly a waste of money. The money should be used for something else worthwhile not so these people can pray in such luxury. Nobody else is having a new building built for them, we don't have a synagogue, for example." The source added: "This is political correctness gone mad just because they have kicked up a stink. This isn't a makeshift building, it's a full-on mosque. Staff are totally disheartened at pandering again to the prisoners."
He makes total sense. So, how long before he's fired?
Posted by:tipper

#16  I'd like to make bid on the moskk. 3 gets you 5 I can build it better and cheaper.
Posted by: Meyer Lansky Jr   2004-11-09 4:16:39 PM  

#15  You guys are missing it:

"..Nobody else is having a new building built for them, we don’t have a synagogue, for example." quoth the source.

I imagine that there aren't many Jews in prison eh? Funny how a big portion of the population is Muslim, isn't it? And by the way, I say we combine the money to build a mosque, let them pray there, and then release the rapid spreading diseases that are supposedly spreading in the prison population within the mosque. Sounds like a good use of 1.6 million to me, eh?
Posted by: BA   2004-11-09 2:25:45 PM  

#14  My religion state's I can only eat steak and potatoes cooked medium rare.
Posted by: BillH   2004-11-09 2:04:01 PM  

#13  I worship Hugh Hefner. Where's my Grotto and Bunnies?
Posted by: ed   2004-11-09 12:06:23 PM  

#12  Give 'em a couple of lumps on the noggin instead, and tell 'em thay can either pray in the non-denominational chapel, or they can fuck off.
Posted by: mojo   2004-11-09 12:05:34 PM  

#11  No, no, no! Atheists need a small wild wood, with a field of wildflowers, a meandering brook leading to a pond full of frogs and small fish, with kingfishers diving from the overhanging branches, and deep, velvety darkness at night in which the stars can be seen burning overhead. In order to appreciate Nature in all its natural, evolved glory, y'see. It would be good if this area were not walled off from the outside world as well, lest Nature be entrapped by the short-term needs of Man. The library is for all to share, as it always has been. The Jews, on the other hand, just need a room within which East can be faced. (As a people, we're a cheap date. As wives, of course, we are at least as expensive as any other -- but that's a veeeery different discussion ;-).
Posted by: trailing wife   2004-11-09 12:01:07 PM  

#10  whadda disgrace. every religion should protest now till they get equal money: jews, hindus, catholics, c/e, lutherans, buddhists.... atheists should protest to get a library...

Islamists have had a jail policy to convert prisoners for decades: they make the best expendible jihadis after all.

Mosques should be banned in jails period, not paid for.
Posted by: Anon1   2004-11-09 11:36:41 AM  

#9  How much would it cost to have him found hanging in his cell? Prison life can be especially depressing for a "holy man".
Posted by: tu3031   2004-11-09 10:50:47 AM  

#8  Just keep feeding the dragon mates. It'll remember your kindness but wont stop being a dragon.
Posted by: Lucky   2004-11-09 10:48:17 AM  

#7  How much would it cost to have him found hanging in his cell? Prison life can be especially depressing for a "holy man".
Posted by: tu3031   2004-11-09 10:47:50 AM  

#6  not with governors like Geoff Hughes , Mrs.Davis :(
Posted by: MacNails   2004-11-09 7:49:19 AM  

#5  I hope you Brits are feeding them well, pork chops, bacon, ham, etc.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2004-11-09 7:42:20 AM  

#4  Ã‚£1.6million would buy a nice pile of body armor and, y'know, Kevlar helmets... I always feel so bad that your lot's wearing those soft cloth Frenchie-looking beanies...

As for Hookie, you should've let us extradite him so he can be put down like a rabid dog, since, um, well, he is a rabid dog.
Posted by: .com   2004-11-09 7:14:47 AM  

#3  'In August Governor Geoff Hughes sent a letter to inmates apologising for putting pork, forbidden for Muslims and Jews on the menu. He ordered the meat to be removed from the menus of ALL prisoners'

Eek did that mean no bacon sarnies for anyone . sheesh am sure a few 'cat a' prisoners would be unhappy about that , I know i would be furious . And with the proposed mosque within throwing distance of cat a building theres a ray of hope that it will get trashed /burnt to ground


and as prophet Mohammed said 'The whole world is a mosque meaning that Muslims can pray anywhere that is clean. ' Its pretty clean in a 12x6 cell .

The taxpayers money could be used to fund something worthwhile , like a decent governor for the rison and not some lame arsed appeaser like Geoff Hughes .

Posted by: MacNails   2004-11-09 6:07:50 AM  

#2  One for November 5th 2006.
Posted by: Howard UK   2004-11-09 4:48:41 AM  

#1  "This is clearly a waste of money."

Yep. Taxpayers' money. Funking scandal alright.

Nice to see The Mirror's not devoting itself to slandering British forces any more. Getting rid of Piers "Human Filth" Morgan was the best thing it's done in decades.
Posted by: Bulldog   2004-11-09 4:30:10 AM  

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