Belgian Muslim Leaders Deny Moroccan Spy Allegations at Brussels Grand Mosque

It is "defamatory, insulting and slanderous to declare that our members would be spies in the pay of foreign countries. [...] These accusations are unfounded, contested and contestable," the Belgian Muslim authorities said in a statement, before recalling that their institutions are public law and Belgian civil law organizations whose members are fully Belgian citizens.

Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne suspended the recognition process of the Grand Mosque of Brussels on the grounds that some of the place of worship’s leaders appointed to end Saudi Arabian influence are suspected of spying for Morocco. "The tentacles of Morocco extend far and prevent autonomous Islam from developing in Belgium," he said in an interview with the Flemish channel VRT. The minister hammered that the Belgian government "will never accept that other countries try to divert Islam for political purposes," and called on the EMB to renew its bodies and promote a progressive Islam compatible with the values of society.

"We can only express our sincere regrets at the suspension of the recognition process of the Grand Mosque of Brussels despite a long-standing constructive and concerted work with the public authorities and the competent services of our country. The statements of the Minister of Justice [...] ignore all the achievements made in the field of the institutionalization of Islam in Belgium since 1998," denounced the Belgian Muslim authorities. For them, the minister’s remarks undermine freedom of worship, the principle of neutrality and the principle of separation between Church and State.

This political intervention constitutes "a manifest interference in the affairs of the Islamic faith." "It is not up to politicians to define qualifications for a faith, nor to call on religious communities regarding the choice of their representatives. [...] The Muslim community of Belgium will not accept to be intimidated and stigmatized through its institutions and its members," the heads of these bodies said. However, they "remain open to dialogue with the public authorities."