A new law concerning the building of mosques was approved Tuesday night by the Moroccan parliament, aiming at tightening the supervision over Islamist elements. According to the new law, people who wish to contribute money to building mosques must register as a legal association. Also, any construction or expansion of a mosque will from now on require a special permit.
| They also tightened considerably the building code for ammunition storage rooms and gun lock-ups ... |
A few Moroccan religious movements have expressed their fear that the new law will hinder the process of constructing mosques. Minister of Religious Endowments and Islamic Affairs Ahmad A-Tawfiq responded by saying the law would thwart any attempt to take advantage of mosques for "non-peaceful purposes." A-Tawfiq denied that his ministry's reform was the result of external pressures. |