Finance minister Wouter Bos is looking at what obstacles need to be overcome in Dutch banking laws to allow strict Islamic banks to set up in the Netherlands, the Telegraaf reports on Monday.

Bos said there was growing demand for banking along Islamic principles – in which making money out of money is taboo, as is investing in alcohol, the weapons trade and pornography. Bos also said a ban on Islamic banking could be counterproductive in terms of combating terrorism.
Last month the Dutch central bank noted that Sharia banking was on the rise world wide and would take off in the Netherlands as the country’s Muslims become wealthier.