Outrage over attacks on Muslim worshippers

Armed robbers swoop on mosques during Ramadan

THE South African Council of Muslim Theologians has urged worshippers to be alert and take appropriate action to prevent a spate of attacks on mosques during the holy month of Ramadan.

This week, the Jamiatul Ulama of South Africa said it was alarmed by several reports that worshippers had become an easy target for criminals during the nightly Ramadan prayers.

This follows a spate of incidents in and around Johannesburg, in which worshippers have been attacked by brazen armed gangs and robbed of money and other valuables during prayers. Recent attacks include:

An armed robbery two weeks ago in central Johannesburg in which about 200 worshippers were ordered to the ground while praying inside the mosque and robbed of money and cellphones. No one was in- jured and no shots were fired;

An armed robbery at the Masjidul Zinatul Islam mosque in Kensington, Johannesburg, in which worshippers were robbed of an undisclosed amount of money that was meant to be donated to charity;

An attack on worshippers when they were about to enter a mosque in Mayfair on Wednesday; and

An armed attack earlier this month on Dr Khalid Hussain and his son as they were on their way to early prayers in Robertsham. Hussain, who moved to South Africa from Afghanistan, was shot and killed.

Moulana Ebrahim Bham, secretary general of Jamiatul Ulama South Africa, described these attacks as “acts of disre- spect for a place of worship and cowardly harassment that takes advantage of worshippers at the moment of their vulnerability during their reflections and devotions”.

“Our appeal to authorities is to investigate these incidents, bring perpetrators to book and stop this disturbing development that seems to be a trend,” he said this week.

Bham also urged all Muslim congregants to be alert and take “appropriate measures to prevent such incidents from occurring”.

Crime Line head Yusuf Abramjee said it was concerning that criminals had no respect for places of worship. This week, he wrote a letter to the Gauteng provincial police, who responded by beefing up visible policing near mosques during Ramadan. He also appealed to the community to be vigilant and report crimes immediately.

Sydenham Community Policing Forum chairman Satish Dhupelia echoed similar sentiments.

“We’re vigilant about it and it was discussed at our community policing forum meeting with the local police station. In our area, most of the mosques have their own car guards and security,” he said.

Gauteng police spokesman Brigadier Neville Malila said deputy provincial commissioner of operational services Major General Phumzo Gela had instructed all station commanders to increase police visibility around mosques during Ramadan and evening prayers.

However, he said, the police were concerned that crimes were reported very late and asked for prompt reporting so that investigations could start as soon as possible.