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| Europe |
| Italy: Protests against new mosque, Egypt's treatment of Christian convert |
| 2007-08-23 |
| Rome, 23 August (AKI) - Two sit-ins are planned in Rome later Thursday, one in solidarity with a Christian convert in Egypt, and the other against a proposed mosque. Both gatherings are organised by a rightwing group, La Destra, which has called on people to protest outside the Egyptian embassy and near the site of the proposed mosque, next to a Christian church in Rome's multi-ethnic Esqulino district. Italy's foreign ministry says it is monitoring the case involving Mohammed Hegazy a Muslim whose conversion to Christianity Egyptian authorities refuse to recognise and who has been threatend by Islamists who brand him an apostate. La Destra representatives have said the protests aime to highlight what they say is religious intolerance in Islamic nations as demonstrated in Hegazy's case, while at the same time the acts of provocation by Muslims living in the West, as exemplified by the plan to build a mosque next to a church. On Tuesday municpal police halted construction work at the Esquilino mosque because of irregularities with building laws. However, a top municipal official said work would be allowed to resume once the necessary corrections to the construction work are made. The mosque aims to serve Rome's Bangladeshi community many of whose members live and work in the Esquilino which is home to several places of worship including Christian churches of different denominations, a Buddhist temple and a synagogue. Rome, the centre of the Roman Catholic world also hosts the largest Muslim place of worship in Europe, the grand mosque which was inaugurated in 1995. |
| Posted by:mrp |
| #1 Why isn't the Vatican issuing a formal declaration of solidarity with this protest? Benedict had the courage to question Islam's lack of religious freedom or reciprocity. Where has all that moxie gone? I refuse to believe that this man is cowering in Castel Gandolfo. Get off of the pot, Benedict! |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-08-23 16:24 |