The interior of a mosque (illustration).

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CHRISTOPHE SAIDI

Since the attack in Conflans, the sources of funding for mosques are at the heart of the concerns of local elected officials.

The Angers city council thus opposed on Monday the sale to Morocco of a mosque under construction, as desired by the Association of Muslims of Angers (AMA), owner of the land, in order to finance the end of the work. .

Land sold in 2011

The great mosque of Angers, planned to accommodate some 2,500 faithful, has been under construction since 2014 in the Hauts district of Saint-Aubin, in the north of the city.

The land was sold in September 2011 to AMA, predominantly Moroccan, by the semi-public company Sara, now Alter Cités, chaired by the mayor of Angers Christophe Béchu (ex-LR).

The Association voted at the end of September to transfer it free of charge to the Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs of Morocco.

In a deliberation, the city council ruled Monday evening against this cession, on the grounds that the contract of sale of the land is opposed to a resale of the goods by the purchaser before the end of the work, except with the express authorization of the developer.

"After having heard the various parties, after having solicited external opinions and after having taken the time to reflect, the municipal council does not want an agreement to be given by the developer on this transfer which does not respect the legal framework of the initial contract ”, indicates the deliberation.

This recalls that the council is "attached to the free exercise of worship, and respectful of the wish of the Muslim community to have a dignified place of worship allowing believers to practice their religion".

A lack of money according to a person close to the town hall

"The transfer of the future mosque to a foreign country does not correspond to the desired neutrality for the construction and future operation of such equipment," she continues.

In addition, according to a source close to the town hall, the buyers do not have the necessary financing to complete the construction of the building.

"2.5 million have been collected and there is still a lack of 4.5 million euros".

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