The Saudi foundation Al Waqf-Al Islami has built several mosques in Bulgaria, but the Islamic community is tight-lipped about its links with the elusive organization, which has been linked to Al Qaeda.
Bulgaria's Muslims--most of whom are members of the country's Turkish minority--are traditionally a moderate lot. But in recent years, more radical forms of Islam have arrived in Bulgaria and elsewhere in the Balkans, often with Saudi financing. | If it's Saudi money, you can bet it's radical |
So, how radicalized is Bulgaria's Muslim community and what is this Saudi money being used for?
This investigation, conducted in August 2004 by Yana Buhrer Tavanier, who is an editor with the Bulgarian weekly Kapital and a TOL contributor, has not found any evidence of terrorist activity--but it has uncovered a shadowy network that finances mosques and schools that promote the radical teachings of Wahhabi Islam and similar tendencies, and a network that has links to the chief mufti's office.
The first of our two articles looks at several mosques that were built with Saudi money, though Bulgaria's Muslim leaders continue to deny this fact. A second article deals with the network of Islamic schools in the country.
| Very long investigative report at the link. |
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