It reopens after long months of work and discussions.
The mosque of Allonnes (Sarthe), which had been administratively closed at the end of 2021 after suspicions of radical practice of Islam, reopened on Friday, we learned from the mayor, confirming information from local media.
“It reopened today.
A new association was created, we worked for many months with the services of the prefecture, the new association and the services of the city so that everything goes as well as possible.
An agreement has been signed,” said Gilles Leproust, mayor of this town of 11,000 inhabitants, adjoining Le Mans.
“Everything went to the municipal council and was validated.
It was a trauma, more than a year of closure, “added the communist mayor, stressing that the Muslim community of the city was “satisfied” with this reopening.
Accused of legitimizing the use of armed jihad
The prefecture had initiated in October 2021 a procedure to close this mosque, which welcomed around 300 faithful.
“The sermons preached in this mosque legitimized in particular the recourse to armed jihad while cultivating a feeling of hatred towards France”, estimated then the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin.
The Council of State had confirmed this closure and the two associations managing the mosque had been dissolved by the Council of Ministers in January 2022.
An investigation had also been opened for "apology for terrorism" and "provocation to commit terrorist acts", against the Association Allonnaise pour le Juste Milieu (AAJM), which had subsequently denounced "serious accusations stigmatizing the Muslim community.
