| Islamist Hardliners Blamed for Demolition of Mosque in the Heart of Tripoli 26/08/2012 10:48:00 | ||
| The destroyed section of the mausoleum of Al-Shaab Al-Dahman near the centre of Tripoli. (AFP photo) Islamist hardliners have been blamed for the demolition of the mausoleum of the large Al-Shaab Al-Dahman mosque near the centre of Tripoli in broad daylight on Saturday, an act that has been condemned by Government officials. The group that bulldozed the mosque that contained Sufi Muslim graves and shrines to Sufi figures said it was un-Islamic and alleged that a Sufi Muslim sect has been engaging in “black magic”. This is the second razing of a Sufi site in just two days by Salafi activists. Government officials condemned the acts that seem to indicate that religious sectarian tensions are reaching record levels in the country. What is of even more concern the fact that, as witnesses said, police surrounded the site and prevented people from getting close to the destruction, and that they did not stop the demolition, a desecration as it has been described, as empty graves lay gaping in the rubble of the mosque. There have also been reports that n the early hours of Friday, ultra-conservative Islamists wrecked Sufi shrines with bombs and another bulldozer destroyed the tomb of a 15th-century Sufi scholar Abdel Salam al-Asmar and set fire to a historic library in the mosque in the city of Zlitan ruining thousands of books. The destruction followed two days of clashes between tribal groups in Zlitan that started on Thursday when as least 12 people were killed and eight were wounded according to an official source. The structure’s dome collapsed and a minaret was pitted with holes. In the clash, that was sparked by a dispute between two families from the al-Haly and al-Fawatra tribes, heavy weaponry was used, including 14 mm anti-aircraft canons An army deployment managed to impose a truce between the two warring tribes, but witnesses said security forces had not been sent in immediately (to intervene). Tripoli’s Sha’ab mosque that was demolished on Saturday contained around 50 Sufi graves, including the tombs of Libyan Sufi scholar Abdullah al-Sha’ab and of soldiers who fought Spanish colonialists. The president of Libya’s newly elected National Congress, Mohamed al-Magariaf, called the prime minister to an emergency meeting on Sunday, telling journalists that: “What is truly regrettable and suspicious is that some of those who took part in these destruction activities are supposed to be of the security forces and from the revolutionaries.” A government official who refused to be named, was quoted saying that a large number of armed militias carrying medium and heavy weapons arrived at the al-Sha’ab mosque with the intention to destroy the mosque because of their belief graves are anti-Islamic. He told news agency Reuters that authorities tried to stop them but, after a small clash, decided to seal off the area while the demolition took place to prevent any violence spreading. Libya’s Supreme Security Council spokesman Abdel Moneim al-Hurr said they joined in the condemnation. Reuters also quoted a a man who appeared to be overseeing the demolition, that the interior ministry had authorised the operation after discovering people had been worshipping the graves and practicing “black magic”, but the ministry itself was not available for comment. It is unclear how many security forces personnel were involved in the bulldozing. Authorities tried to stop the demolition, but after a small clash with the armed group, the police decided to cordon off the area while the destruction took place to prevent any violence erupting. |
Islamist Hardliners Blamed for Demolition of Mosque in the Heart of Tripoli
**Amin Ahmed** is a Libyan journalist and contributor at TripoliPost, reporting on current affairs, business, and regional developments. With a keen eye for detail and a dedication to fair, balanced journalism, he delivers stories that keep readers informed about Libya and the world beyond its borders. He can be reached at amin.ahmed@tripolipost.com
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