One of the largest mosques in the world
is under construction in Algeria. The
Djamaa El Djazair mosque is being constructed by Chinese contractors and will have a prayer hall to accommodate 120,000 worshipers. The Guardian reported on 6 May that the government plans to use this mosque "as a buffer against radical Islam and crown the legacy of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika". It is planned to house a modern library with one million books, a museum of Islamic art and history and also a Quranic school for 300 students within the complex. It is being built at a cost of 1.2 billion euros and is also expected to have the tallest minaret in the world.
President Bouteflika has just returned to Algiers after a brief visit to Geneva for medical
checkups, according to Reuters reporting on 29 April 2016. The 79 year old president had a stroke three years ago and it is widely believed that due to his deteriorating health he might not stay at the helm for much longer.
Yonas Dembele, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, comments: "This is just an appeasement policy. The Algerian government seems very determined to defeat Islamic militancy operating in the region. The immense Djamaa El Djazair mosque seems to be an attempt at appeasing the religiously conservative segment of the public. If the government"s plan succeeds, the new mosque could become an influential center of Islamic learning and thought. However, the success of such efforts is not only determined by the amount of money spent on building the physical infrastructure. The credibility, stature and competence of the staff will be decisive in establishing a bulwark to counter radical Islamic teaching. There is a risk that the mosque will be seen by the public as an instrument of the state that has little or no autonomy."
Regarding the health of President Bouteflika, Yonas Dembele continues: "The president"s health situation is a cause for concern. In the event of his dying in office, there is the risk that a struggle for succession between various groups in his inner circle good erupt so creating an opening for militant Islamic groups to destabilize the country. That is a huge concern for Christians not only in Algeria, but also in the whole region."
