The French government announced on Wednesday that three mosques that are ‘radical’ have been closed down.
France’s interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced that three mosques in France have been closed under emergency measures.
Cazeneuve added that “three pseudo-cultural associations” linked to the mosque at Lagny-sur-Marne were also being dissolved.
According to the Le Parisien newspaper, the mosque in Lagny, Mohamed Hammoumi, is accused of recruiting volunteers for jihad in Syria.
Cazeuneuve said police found evidence of an unregistered Quranic school and various documents about jihad in the mosque.
“Such measures to close mosques because of radicalisation have never before been taken by any government, including during the last state of emergency in 2005” after rioting broke out across France’s troubled suburbs, Cazeneuve said.
The other two mosques that have been closed were in the suburb of Gennevilliers, to the north west of Paris, and one in the city of Lyon.
Following Wednesday’s raid nine people were placed under house arrest and 22 are now prohibited from leaving country.
“These operations are targeting preachers of hate along with cult associations that incite people to hate,” Cazeuneuve said on Wednesday.
Cazeuneuve said that since the night of the Paris attacks police had carried out 2,235 raids searches and seized 334 arms, including 34 of a military grade.
More than 200 individuals are being held by police and another 300 are under house arrest.
The government has however been criticized for sacrificing civil liberties in its battle against terrorism, that has led to increasing concern among rights groups.
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