We need to demolish mosques: Sweden’s Akesson

Swedish leader Akesson’s Islamophobic remarks that ‘we must demolish mosques in Sweden’ could once again block Turkiye’s approval of Sweden’s NATO membership

After allowing Quran-burning protests, Sweden, which failed to secure Turkiye’s permission for NATO membership, is once again implying its reluctance toward NATO membership through Islamophobic statements.

Jimmie Akesson, the leader of the right-wing Sweden Democrats, has advocated granting Swedish authorities the power to requisition and demolish mosques that propagate ideologies conflicting with Western values. Additionally, he proposed a ban on constructing new mosques in the country.

“It is not a right to come to our country and build monuments to a foreign and imperialist ideology,” Akesson noted.

“In the long term, we need to start confiscating and demolishing mosque buildings where anti-democratic, anti-Swedish, homophobic, or anti-Semitic propaganda, or general misinformation about Swedish society is spread,” he emphasized.

“Minarets, domes, crescents, or other Islamic monuments in the cityscape should be completely removed,” he added.

Speaking to the Aftonbladet newspaper after his speech, Akesson elaborated on his view, insisting that people should have the right to “have a gathering place if you worship a god or have a religion,” but explained that “the problem is when you force your religion on others” by “building monuments and having prayer calls. We do not think that is reasonable,” Akesson emphasized.

The Sweden Democrats hold considerable influence in the country’s political landscape, supporting the center-right government of Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson.

These remarks will likely pose yet another stumbling block for Sweden’s NATO accession, with Islamic nations likely to condemn the latest inflammatory remarks.

Stockholm’s NATO accession relies on Turkiye’s approval, a process continuously delayed due to Ankara’s dissatisfaction with Sweden over permitting Quran-burning protests.

Ankara has criticized Stockholm for not doing enough against terrorist groups like the PKK and the Gülenist Terror Group(FETÖ).

Both have a presence in Sweden, with recent steps taken for the extradition of PKK-linked individuals while fugitive FETÖ members remain in the Nordic country.

Source: Remix

#haber#