France plans closure of over 150 mosques

Authorities in France are set to follow the dictates under the state of emergency rule which allows places of worship that promote radical views to be shut down.
The rule will likely affect up to 160 mosques one of the country’s chief imams has said.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told journalists on Wednesday that three mosques had been closed over the past two weeks during the state of emergency – marking the first time France had taken such action against places of worship.

In a related development, local police shut down a suspected radical mosque east of Paris and arrested the owner of a revolver found in related raids as part of the crackdown, Cazeneuve said.

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“Jihadist” documents were also found in the raids at the mosque and related premises in Lagny-sur-Marne.
The police has placed a total of nine people under house arrest and banned another 22 from leaving the country, Cazeneuve said.

France has so far raided 2,235 homes and buildings, taken 232 people into custody and confiscated 334 weapons, 34 of them war grade.

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