Europe’s most radicalised nation has given the go-ahead for Muslims in the nation to triple the number of authorised mosques.
In an announcement apparently timed to coincide with Belgium’s annual Islamic trade fair, internal affairs minister Liesbeth Homans said the nation would recognise 50 mosques. These will stand in addition to the 28 already officially listed in the country, reports De Morgen.
The centre-right conservative minister insisted she was being pragmatic with the decision, remarking “Better an accredited mosque than an obscure garage mosque… We can therefore monitor their activities, and the imams will quickly find their way to the government to work together”.
Although it is not known exactly how many Muslims there are in Belgium, it is thought they presently make up over six per cent of the national population. While this is less than neighbouring France, Muslims from Belgium are unusually enthusiastic about the new caliphate. Belgium has recently honoured its Muslim inhabitants by putting a image of an Imam on their new first class postage stamps.
According to the United Nations, Belgium is now the highest per-capita source of Islamists fighting abroad in places like Syria and Iraq of any nation in Europe. From a nation of just 11.2 million people, there have been 207 Belgian passport holders in Syria, 77 wounded, 128 who have returned to Europe, and 62 who tried to travel to warzones but were stopped.
‘Belgian’ Muslims have also been responsible for terror attacks in Europe. Moroccan Islamist Ayoub El Khazzani, who launched a gun rampage against a French express train before being taken down and beaten by U.S. Marines who happened to be on the same service, had been living in Belgium and boarded the train there.
In 2014, the Jewish Museum of Belgium was targeted by another Belgian resident Muslim shooter, who killed four with an AK47 before fleeing to France.
It may be little wonder Belgium is growing so radicalised, with the government’s relaxed approach to national security. As reported by Breitbart London last month, Belgium has only one part-time police officer monitoring online radicalisation, and the internet activity of jihadists in the nation.
Belgium’s online frontiers aren’t the only borders neglected by the government. It was also revealed there are only eight police officers dedicated to the 125 mile line with Denmark and Germany, who only work nine to five and don’t cover weekends.