Imam killed in arson attack on Belgian mosque

[sabaku_no_gaara]

A mosque near Brussels was attacked with Molotov cocktails and its imam died trying to extinguish the flames, Belgian newspapers reported on Monday night.

A police spokeswoman confirmed to the Associated Press that the imam had died in the arson attack but did not provide any further details. She said one person had been arrested and no other people were being sought in connection with the attack.

An Associated Press photographer at the scene saw fire damage and people gathered outside the mosque, some of whom were praying.

The newspaper Le Soir reported that a man entered the Shiite mosque in Anderlecht, a suburb of Brussels, shortly before 7pm local time armed with an axe, Molotov cocktails and a can of gasoline. The newspaper reported that the man broke windows, then threw the incendiary devices inside. The attack was also reported by the newspaper De Standaard.

Le Soir said the imam, whom it reported to be 47 years old, died trying to put out the fire. The police spokeswoman said she did not have the name of the imam.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...s-arson-attack

The Arsonist claimed he attacked to instill fear in the Shiite community whom he conciders responsible for the current situation in Syria.

The Shiite community in Antwerp has requested extra security measures but police said it will not increase security.

Some personal observations:

1 This is a horrible act and one should not attack a house of prayer and kill an inocent man.
2 I do feel however that Muslims should not take their internal disputes to a Western country, if he wanted to do something, he should have boarded a plane to Syria and burn stuff over there.

[Phier]

So this was Muslim on Muslim crime?

Expect a low post count.

Now if it were a neo-Nazi or some other group.

Expect high post count.

[Blaze86420]

So this was Muslim on Muslim crime?

Expect a low post count.

Now if it were a neo-Nazi or some other group.

Expect high post count.

Or if it was a Muslim on non-Muslim attack, we'd have the entire board raging.

Anyways, I actually read about this earlier, one report said it was a Shiite following Iranian orders. Apparently the imam wasn't extreme enough so they sent someone to attack him. This report is a lot more plausible. I don't get the point of the attack though, most Alawites aren't Muslim, Shiites are. People need to make the distinction.

[Babur]

most Alawites aren't Muslim, Shiites are. People need to make the distinction.

So you have the authority to decide who is Muslim and who isn't?

[Blaze86420]

So you have the authority to decide who is Muslim and who isn't?

Alawism is a syncrestic and secretive religion that combines Christian and pagan beliefs and festivals, we're not sure what Alawi doctrine is exactly but a portion of Alawis believe that Ali is the incarnation of God on Earth, which is shirk and you can't argue around that with your hippy Baha'i nonsense. Of course there are plenty of Alawis who truly do consider themselves to be Shia Muslims and worship as such, but geniune Alawi beliefs are reported to be different and blasphemous.

[Babur]

Alawism is a syncrestic and secretive religion that combines Christian and pagan beliefs and festivals, we're not sure what Alawi doctrine is exactly but a portion of Alawis believe that Ali is the incarnation of God on Earth, which is shirk and you can't argue around that with your hippy Baha'i nonsense. Of course there are plenty of Alawis who truly do consider themselves to be Shia Muslims and worship as such, but geniune Alawi beliefs are reported to be different and blasphemous.

I don't see what is wrong with that though, not everyone is going to have a narrow interpretation of Islam.

[hellheaven1987]

Anyways, I actually read about this earlier, one report said it was a Shiite following Iranian orders. Apparently the imam wasn't extreme enough so they sent someone to attack him. This report is a lot more plausible. I don't get the point of the attack though, most Alawites aren't Muslim, Shiites are. People need to make the distinction.

So the Shia Caliphate believe the imam is not loyal enough?

[justicar5]

Or if it was a Muslim on non-Muslim attack, we'd have the entire board raging.

Anyways, I actually read about this earlier, one report said it was a Shiite following Iranian orders. Apparently the imam wasn't extreme enough so they sent someone to attack him. This report is a lot more plausible. I don't get the point of the attack though, most Alawites aren't Muslim, Shiites are. People need to make the distinction.

Hang I thought Alawites where a branch of Shia islam?

Anyway, this is murder pure and simple, try the man who did it.

[Blaze86420]

Hang I thought Alawites where a branch of Shia islam?

Anyway, this is murder pure and simple, try the man who did it.

It's very complicated. Many Shia clerics consider them to be Muslim for political reasons, and many Wahhabi clerics don't consider them Muslim for political reasons too. Alawism seems to be a very unorganized religion; there's a lot of differing beliefs within the community. Many are practicing Muslims but they probably aren't following true Alawite doctrine which is apparently only fully known and understood to a small group of them, usually elders and such.

[white-wolf]

Hang I thought Alawites where a branch of Shia islam?

Well, this is the wrong terminology. The correct term for them is "Nusayri". They are followers of Muḥammad ibn Nuṣayr. The sect was founded by Al-Khasibi.

Although some says they are Shia, they are not Shia or twelver shia. They are similar to Druze. I do not believe they are muslims. The current support of Assad by Iran is not religious but political. Well, Iran does support Armenia against their shia-brothers of Azerbaijan.

Anyway, this is murder pure and simple, try the man who did it.

Agreed %100.

[sabaku_no_gaara]

So this was Muslim on Muslim crime?

Expect a low post count.

Now if it were a neo-Nazi or some other group.

Expect high post count.

A religious/politicaly motivated hate crime with a fatalaty is still A religious/politicaly motivated hate crime, regardless of wich religion attacked wich religion, it's as horrible as any other hate crime no?

[Phier]

A religious/politicaly motivated hate crime with a fatalaty is still A religious/politicaly motivated hate crime, regardless of wich religion attacked wich religion, it's as horrible as any other hate crime no?

Which is exactly my point.

[PointOfViewGun]

Seems like the most received threats from Salafis before and was under police surveillance against possible attacks. It is also reported that a Salafist is arrested for the attack.

[Armenum]

Don't know why such idiots get such attention...

[Pontifex Maximus]

Don't know why such idiots get such attention...

*idiots with fire, so that might be it.

[motiv-8]

Oh FFS could you at least take your theological dispute OUT of a thread about sectarian violence? Your'e going to crash the boards with this much irony.

[YukonTrooper]

Hopefully this doesn't spread. It would give Sarkozy a better chance of being reelected.

[Sadreddine]

So this crime was allegedly commited as a 'revenge' for the syrian issue?

Now that's some miserable train of thought. This kind of attrocities explain one of the reasons why the ME is in the sorry state it is. Sectarians and tribalists, God confound them.

[Babur]

This kind of attrocities explain one of the reasons why the ME is in the sorry state it is. Sectarians and tribalists, God confound them.

this doesn't help the matter:

Alawism is a syncrestic and secretive religion that combines Christian and pagan beliefs and festivals, we're not sure what Alawi doctrine is exactly but a portion of Alawis believe that Ali is the incarnation of God on Earth, which is shirk and you can't argue around that with your hippy Baha'i nonsense. Of course there are plenty of Alawis who truly do consider themselves to be Shia Muslims and worship as such, but geniune Alawi beliefs are reported to be different and blasphemous.

I don't like it when people claim the authority to decide who is Muslim and who isn't.It is surprisingly common since I have encountered a few people who think I don't fit their narrow interpretation of Islam.If people would stop doing this, that would be real progress.

Oh FFS could you at least take your theological dispute OUT of a thread about sectarian violence? Your'e going to crash the boards with this much irony.

exactly, it's almost as if he is condoning this attack.

[Sadreddine]

this doesn't help the matter:

And what does? The kind of people that do this don't answer to reason nor are really interested in compromise and reconciliation.