Of the 89 Muslim places of worship targeted by French intelligence for separatism, only eight are currently said to violate republican principles, Europe 1 reported on Friday December 3. Following the closure of several mosques, some imams have toned down their discourse, the national radio station said.However, this sudden moderation seems suspicious to the intelligence services and raises questions: Is it a genuine desire to conform or an attempted cover-up?
This warning from the intelligence service is aimed primarily at hate speech or speech that contains discriminatory statements against men and women, reports Europe 1.
But words considered to be against republican principles are also targeted, they add. In the Île-de-France region alone, the situation has eased considerably recently: Of the 15 or so mosques under strict surveillance, only one, located in the Hauts-de-Seine department, could become subject to the legislation, according to the media.According to Europe 1, this development could be due to the fact that the closure of a number of mosques in recent months made a strong impression. Especially the mosque located in Pantin, which had been temporarily closed a year earlier after the murder of Samuel Paty by a terrorist. Fearing a closure that could have been held against them by their worshippers, several imams, who are reputed to be radical to the secret service, had therefore decided to tone down their rhetoric.