Growth of orthodox Islam slows: AIVD
Thursday 10 September 2009
The growth of the fundamentalist Islamic movement Salafism in the Netherlands has stagnated, the director of the AIVD security service told Nos tv on Wednesday.
Salafism is said to be particularly attractive to rootless immigrants and disaffected second and third generation youths in Europe because of its claim to authenticity.
Two years ago, the AIVD warned that the movement was growing in the Netherlands. This was due to the increased influence of radical preachers calling on young Muslims to turn their backs on the west, the organisation said.
But Wil van Gemert told the Nos the AIVD's worries were ungrounded. 'Our biggest fear a few years ago was that there would be a step by step growth and that there was a broad forum where this growth could take place,' he said. 'But our main conclusion is that this forum no longer exists.'
Local councils and leaders are more aware of the existence of such centres and were refusing financial support, and the Muslim community is also coming out against the movement, he said.
© DutchNews.nl
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Thursday: Sunny everywhere but high cloud will hide the sun at times. Max 15º. Rain on Friday
And all that worry for nothing...phew!)
By stevie | September 10, 2009 1:02 PM