Iran's ambassador to Newmarket

The imam trying to build a new mosque in suburban Toronto openly supports Iranian-style Islamic revolution and theocracy, and his new neighbours don't like it one bit:

What started as a mundane zoning proposal for a Newmarket mosque has now made Zafar Bangash the target of a neighbourhood's wrath and once again ignited international debate about the separation of politics and religion.

Bangash's name may not be well known to many Canadians but his writings and his stridently anti-Israeli views, forceful support for an independent Kashmir and advocacy for Iranian-inspired Islamic theocracies has attracted international notice and the attention of Muslims and politicians at home.

For eight years Bangash has been the president of the Islamic Society of York Region, often leading prayers at the modest mosque in Richmond Hill that sits on 13 hectares of property at the edge of the Oak Ridges Moraine. Now he hopes to build another mosque in Newmarket.

Yesterday, that proposal led to a packed Newmarket city hall meeting filled with residents who said they didn't oppose the building of the mosque, but the man behind it. After the proposal passed, the debate continued with residents frustrated their voices weren't heard.

Much of the opposition comes from Bangash's writings in a publication known as Crescent International, which has a Markham office and advocates for an Iranian-inspired regime in Muslim countries.

"Muslims must strive to overthrow the oppressive systems in their societies through Islamic revolutions, and not by participating in fraudulent elections organized by the elites operating through various political parties that actually divide the people," he wrote in a July 2005 column in the newsmagazine.

Do I even have to tell you his response?

Bangash dismisses the concerns of the Newmarket mosque as Islamophobia and says people have taken his political comments out of context.

Damian P.

Posted by damian at February 6, 2007 10:13 AM