“It is time to hand over the mosque in Geneva to a Swiss executive board, which is representative, with an elected president board: a mosque integrated into Swiss democracy,” Mohammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Saudi Arabia-based Muslim World League (MWLExternal link), told Le Matin Dimanche newspaperExternal link.
Management and financing of the mosqueExternal link, which is situated in the neighbourhood of Petit-Saconnex, should be ensured by Swiss muslims, he said. Funding could some from member donations and private donations, he added.
The construction of the mosque was financed by Saudi Arabia. It was inaugurated in 1978 by former Saudi king Khalid bin Abdulaziz and is the biggest in Switzerland, being able to host 1,500 worshippers. MWL has been underwriting a substantial part of the mosque’s finances.
The mosque has however attracted scrutiny from French and Swiss authorities over possible links to extremists.
‘Safe hands’
Similar measures to those in Geneva have been taken around the world in collaboration with national authorities, Al-Issa explained in the interview. “Foremost for security reasons. We have to ensure that the mosques are in safe hands, of course. After that we will not need to intervene.”
The Islamic Cultural Foundation of Geneva, which had been involved in the running of the mosque and which is liked to the MWL, will become a separate entity and work on dialogues between the religions, both in Switzerland and abroad, the former Saudi justice minister said.
At the end of 2017, four mosque employees were fired and the management changed after Al-Issa visited the institution. The four French employees, including two imams, had reportedly been placed by French officials on a backlist known as “Fiche S”. This is reserved for individuals who are considered potential threats to French national security.
In 2015, the Tribune de Genève reported that 20 young extremists had attended the mosque for several months, two of whom allegedly travelled to Syria.
Al-Issa told Le Matin Dimanche that three essential objectives had not been achieved at the mosque. “The mosque should have become a cohesion factor. Representatives from other religions should have been able to rely on it. And finally, a place of worship shouldn’t keep on being a subject of concern and debate. So instead of closing it, we are giving it to everyone. That’s a better solution, isn’t it?”
More
More
Who funds Swiss mosques?
This content was published on
Swiss mosques and Muslim associations are in the spotlight after concerns over the opacity of their funding and possible foreign influence.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Two thirds of Swiss apprentices face psychological issues
This content was published on
Two thirds of Swiss apprentices suffer from psychological problems and do not find support in the vocational training system
This content was published on
Following an increase in exports to the United States in the first quarter, the Swiss economy is bracing itself for a tariff backlash.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss court upholds entry ban against former Geneva mosque guard
This content was published on
A French-Tunisian man who worked as a guard at a Geneva mosque has been banned from Switzerland for ten years for alleged links to fundamentalists.
This content was published on
Switzerland’s largest mosque, which has been embroiled in various controversies, has a new director, reports Swiss public radio, RTS.
Saudi funder announces plans to reform Geneva mosque
This content was published on
In an interview with the Tribune de Genève paper on Friday, the secretary general of MWL Mohammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa said that he will constitute a new board of the Islamic Cultural Foundation of Geneva, which manages the Geneva mosque in Petit-Saconnex. MWL underwrites a substantial part of the mosque’s finances. Al-Issa said that…
Zurich and Geneva are top Swiss jihadist recruitment places
This content was published on
Jihadist recruitment in Geneva centred around the Petit-Saconnex mosque, with two taxi drivers helping to recruit and radicalise people, according to an investigation by Le Matin Dimanche newspaper.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.