December 10, 2008

One million Muslims, just one Mosque

Russia Today, October 11, 2008, 10:46

Dramatic scenes of Muslims struggling to find a place to pray have become a frequent sight in Italy. Islam - the second largest religion in the country after the Roman Catholic faith – is not officially recognised by the state and it has just one official mosque, in Rome.

This is despite the fact that Islam has existed in Italy since the 9th century and has around a million followers.

Italian Muslims come to pray in any spare space. In Milan, where a large percentage of the country’s Muslims live, some come to pray behind a butcher’s shop. Heavily attended, it’s caused a political row in the northern city. The shop has been shut down, with locals and officials unhappy about the intrusion it makes in the neighbourhood.

Former parliamentarian, Danieka Santanche, who is closely allied with the right wing government, is unhappy about the fact Muslims pray in a disused velodrome. As more people arrive to attend Friday prayers, the media circus surrounding the politician grows - she’s vowed to chain herself to the stadium gates to prevent people from entering. But people do, with the media watching on, surrounded by dozens of police.

Attacks are being made against the country’s makeshift mosques, and not just acts of random vandalism. Roberto Sandalo, currently in jail in Milan, was taken into custody in April as part of an investigation into a series of attacks at a number of Islamic cultural centres.

That Italy may have spawned the first anti-Muslim terror movement is a concern for those working in inter-faith groups. The number of Muslims in Italy is rising - whether as a result of immigrants from, traditionally, Northern Africa, or more Italian people turning to the Koran.

Religious leaders say the majority of people are not prejudiced but there is ignorance. Yahya Sergio Yahe Pallavicini, from the Italian Islamic Religious Community, believes this gap of understanding needs to be addressed.

“The prejudice on Islam, violence, irregular immigration and terrorism can somehow mislead the natural open-mindedness of people who want brotherly relations,” he said.