The Norwegian foreign minister Jonas Gahr Støre ( known as Bin Gahr Støhre since he ran around apologizing during the mohammed cartoon crisis) has made a surprising turn today. He refused millions of dollars from Saudi Arabia to build mosques in Norway.
The Saudi government and rich private Saudis want to build mosques that cost tens of millions of dollars in Norway. Norway is a free democratic country. People can build any house of worship they like. However, the Norwegian government have to approve any financial support for such projects.
The Norwegain foreign ministry refused to accept the mosque building contributions. In the governments answer to Tawfiiq islamic center the foreign ministry stated that It would be a paradox and unnatural if it gave acceptance to funding from sources in a country where there is no religious freedom. Jonas Gahr also stated that We could have just said no, but the acceptance of such money would be a paradox since it is a punishable crime to establish the Christian faith in Saudi Arabia.
The Norwegian State secretary Espen Barth Eide is visiting Saudi-Arabia, and will discuss the topic of financial support.
Many European countries have similar issues with Saudi Arabia. Norway plans to bring up this issue in the European council according to Støre.
The question is: Does this mean a limit put on the possibility of financially supporting faith groups? The answer depends on the outcome of debating the issue by the Norwegian government and the European council.
The Norwegian foreign ministry said that another giant mosque planned in Tromsø, supported by the Saudis, will get a similar response, and the millions of dollars will be rejected.
Just last week the newspaper Nordlys have written an article series with headlines like Muslim leader in Tromsø linked to terrorist network and Islamic Fundamentalists in Saudi Arabia Sponsoring Mosque in Tromsø. ( Due to this newspapers excellent investigative journalism, the mayor and ruling parties of the city council in Tromsø have now turned from being all useful idiots to being against the Tromsø Mosque project and wanting to stop it,).
One can wonder if the Saudi direction of Islam, Wahabi, too controversial for Norway? Norway have freedom of religions. Islam want to establish itself as a domineering religion; an anti Norway and anti democracy system. The simple answer is a resounding NO. Islam is not good for Norway. It is not good for anyone, anywhere.
In another piece of news, the Norwegian minister of justice Knut Storberget announced yesterday that they are targeting and working against Islamic Extremism with the same methods used against Neo nazi groups in the latest years; Meaning they will watch them a bit, and if they show tendencies towards extremism (Islam), they will call them in, have a sit down and basically, in a principal, tell them we see what your doing, and we dont like it, shape up or else you will face dier consequences.
Source
Nekter å godkjenne moskémillioner - VG Nett om Islam-debatten
