Austria News

After the arresting of Islamic terrorist suspects in Vienna, and the protest of 700 Viennese citizens against the erection of a mosque in the Viennese district of Brigittenau, the Austrian chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer rises to speak and clarifies his position.

In the Austrian TV program “Pressestunde”, Gusenbauer underlines the freedom of religion in Austria. “Politicans should not intervene in religious matters”, he said.

Gusenbauer explains, it’s not business of the politics to decide if a mosque should be erected or not, but he would prefer big mosques instead of little Muslim beadhouses in backyards.

“Every religion has the right to build beadhouses which is needed for its practice of religion”, continues Gusenbauer.

Austria has two mosques (one in Vienna and another one in the Tyrolean Telfs) and 260 Muslim beadhouses at the moment. The number of Muslims increased from 159.000 in 1991 up to 400.000.