Deadline given to radical Muslim groups in Bosnia expires
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Version 0 of 1. SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — A deadline given by Bosnia’s Islamic Community to radical Muslims to return to moderate Islam is expiring, with many refusing to obey. The Islamic Community — the country’s only official Muslim religious institution — ordered all breakaway congregations to dissolve by March 1 and believers to join official congregations that follow the moderate Islam traditional in Bosnia. The institution claims some of the “illegal” congregations have inspired members to join the Islamic State. By Monday many of them had refused to disband, claiming they have nothing to do with extremism and formed their own communities because the official ones were not strict enough regarding bans on alcohol and gambling, and wouldn’t let them pray in mosques more than five times a day. Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |