Austria's Haider Says to Ban Mosque-Building

August 27, 2007

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Yahoo News

Wire Service: Reuters

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070827/wl_nm/austria_mosques_dc_1

VIENNA (Reuters) - Austrian right-wing firebrand Joerg Haider said on Monday he plans to change building laws to prevent mosques and minarets being erected in his home province of Carinthia.

Haider, Carinthia's governor, said he would ask its parliament to amend the building code to would require towns and villages to consider "religious and cultural tradition" when dealing with construction requests.

"We don't want a clash of cultures and we don't want institutions which are alien to our culture being erected in Western Europe," Haider said in a statement.

"Muslims have of course the right to practice their religion, but I oppose erecting mosques and minarets as centers to advertise the power of Islam," he said.