Malmö mosque "faces ruin"
An Islamic centre in Malmö says it is threatened with financial ruin after arson attacks earlier this year and in 2003.
Now the centre’s insurance company has said it can no longer provide cover because of the risk of further attacks. Bejzat Becirov, the Chief Executive of the centre, has aksed Prime Minister Göran Persson to help the mosque.
The lack of insurance means the centre is likely to face difficulties getting credit for business funding and investment in the future, according to Becirov.
“Next time we’re under threat of sabotage and terrorism it will become impossible to rebuild the centre, we won’t be able to get a loan to do so either”, Becirov wrote in a letter to the Prime Minister.
Göran Persson visited the mosque during party rallying earlier this month and gave “half a promise” of financial support. He said the repeated attacks on the mosque show that Sweden “sadly has become a country with European norms”.
It was difficult to find an insurance company that would offer cover to the centre after the first attack in April 2003. The policy had a higher risk assessment than normal and the company that approved The Islamic Centre at the time has since withdrawn their cover. Approximately 57,000 Muslims are members of the centre.
TT/Jenny Lepley
Comments
See Also
Now the centre’s insurance company has said it can no longer provide cover because of the risk of further attacks. Bejzat Becirov, the Chief Executive of the centre, has aksed Prime Minister Göran Persson to help the mosque.
The lack of insurance means the centre is likely to face difficulties getting credit for business funding and investment in the future, according to Becirov.
“Next time we’re under threat of sabotage and terrorism it will become impossible to rebuild the centre, we won’t be able to get a loan to do so either”, Becirov wrote in a letter to the Prime Minister.
Göran Persson visited the mosque during party rallying earlier this month and gave “half a promise” of financial support. He said the repeated attacks on the mosque show that Sweden “sadly has become a country with European norms”.
It was difficult to find an insurance company that would offer cover to the centre after the first attack in April 2003. The policy had a higher risk assessment than normal and the company that approved The Islamic Centre at the time has since withdrawn their cover. Approximately 57,000 Muslims are members of the centre.
TT/Jenny Lepley
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.