Utrecht mayor, Deputy PM concerned about radicalization at local mosque

Mayor Jan van Zanen of Utrecht and Minister Lodewijk Asscher of Social Affairs are very concerned about developments around the alFitrah mosque in Overvecht. Asscher, also the Deputy Prime Minister, is calling on parents to keep their kids away from the mosque, DUIC reports.

Last week the Verwey-Jonker Institute published a report on an investigation done into the teaching methods used at the mosque. The researchers concluded that children taught at the mosque are in danger of becoming alienated from society. The next day a number of students anonymously told newspaper AD that the mosque is worse than the report states. For example, they are taught not to turn fellow Muslims who commit a crime, no matter how severe, in to the police.

Jan van Zanen had a "penetrating and difficult" conversation with Suhayb Salam of the mosque on Tuesday. He demanded that an action plan be presented to him in January to improve matters at the mosque. This action plan must explicitly involve parents and students. "I do not accept this." Van Zanen said about children growing up isolated from society. "

Minister Lodewijk Asscher called the situation very worrisome and utterly reprehensible". He calls on parents to keep their children away from the alFitrah mosque until the matter can be resolved.