The Sarthe prefecture on Monday ordered the closure for six months of the Allonnes mosque near Le Mans where, according to the prefecture, “a radical practice of Islam” is being promoted. On October 13, the prefecture announced that it had initiated a closing procedure against this mosque which accommodates around 300 worshipers and a Koranic school with 110 children.
According to the prefectural decree published on Monday, “the leaders of the AAJM (Allonnaise association for the happy medium) and of the Al Qalam association, as well as the imams officiating at the Allonnes mosque are promoting a radical practice of Islam. , legitimize the use of armed jihad, death as a martyr as well as the establishment of Sharia law ”.
The two associations are accused of “legitimizing terrorist attacks”. “This was the case in September 2020, after the republication of the cartoons of Muhammad by the newspaper Charlie Hebdo, Mr. Moulay Driss El Yakoubi having gathered young people at the mosque by indicating: ” These people deserve death, but we do not we are not in a strong position ” ”.
“Wrong to the faithful”
“This was also the case following the assassination, in October 2020, of Samuel Paty (…) the leaders and imams of the mosque having rejoiced in making the author of the attack a martyr”, can – read in the decree. “The education provided in the Koranic school housed in the place of worship managed by the aforementioned associations legitimizes and promotes armed jihad as well as hatred of Jews or the killing of homosexuals”, indicates the decree.
Taking into account “the terrorist threat at a very high level, it is appropriate to pronounce the closure of the place of worship the ” mosque of Allonnes ”, managed by the associations ” Association allonnaise pour le Juste Milieu ” ( AAJM) and “Al Qalam”, for a period of six months, with the aim of preventing the commission of acts of terrorism “, according to the same source.
On October 13, an investigation was opened for “apologia for terrorism” and “provocation to commit terrorist acts”, announced the prosecutor of the Republic of Le Mans. The AAJM denounced in mid-October on its Facebook page “serious accusations”, regretting “the damage done to the faithful who frequent the mosque and to the Muslim community which is wronged and stigmatized”.