Edinburgh, NU Online
Scottish Muslims are offering to provide security for a synagogue in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, following an attack on the Jewish worship place, the Scotsman reported on Thursday, March 19.
"We trust you have adequate security arrangements in place, in line with places of worship across the country," Ken Imrie, chairman of the Scottish Islamic Foundation, said in a letter to Rabbi David Rose of the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation.<>
"If not, such is our strength of feeling on this matter, we would wish to physically guard the synagogue ourselves."
The synagogue, which serves an estimated 700-strong local Jewish community, came under attack last week.
Two men were arrested over the assault, which left several window panes smashed.
The assault came amid a reported increase in attacks on Jewish interests following the recent Israeli war on the besieged Gaza Strip, home to some 1.6 million people.
More than 1,350 people, mostly civilians, were killed in 22 days of air, land and sea Israeli attacks in December.
The onslaught wrecked havoc on the infrastructure of the Palestinian coastal enclave, leaving nearly 20,000 homes and thousands of other buildings damaged.
Heinous
Imrie said mosque preachers will stress rejection of attacks on any worship places during the weekly Friday prayer.
"We wish you to know that the Muslim community stand full square with you in revulsion and horror at this vandalism," he wrote to Rabbi Rose, as quoted by islamonline.com.
"To violently damage any building is wrong. That this is a respected place of worship, faith and spirituality makes the crime even more heinous."
There are more than 50,000 Muslims making up less than one percent of the Scottish population, according to the Scottish Islamic Foundation.
Muslims are the second largest religious group in Scotland, which has thirty mosques, including twelve in Glasgow.
The Muslim offer to provide security at the synagogue was welcomed by Mark Gardner, spokesman for the Community Security Trust, a group that offers protection to British Jews.
"This statement and others like it around the UK will hopefully encourage both communities to regard each other as allies in the face of racism and extremism." (dar)
Scottish Muslims are offering to provide security for a synagogue in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, following an attack on the Jewish worship place, the Scotsman reported on Thursday, March 19.
"We trust you have adequate security arrangements in place, in line with places of worship across the country," Ken Imrie, chairman of the Scottish Islamic Foundation, said in a letter to Rabbi David Rose of the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation.<>
"If not, such is our strength of feeling on this matter, we would wish to physically guard the synagogue ourselves."
The synagogue, which serves an estimated 700-strong local Jewish community, came under attack last week.
Two men were arrested over the assault, which left several window panes smashed.
The assault came amid a reported increase in attacks on Jewish interests following the recent Israeli war on the besieged Gaza Strip, home to some 1.6 million people.
More than 1,350 people, mostly civilians, were killed in 22 days of air, land and sea Israeli attacks in December.
The onslaught wrecked havoc on the infrastructure of the Palestinian coastal enclave, leaving nearly 20,000 homes and thousands of other buildings damaged.
Heinous
Imrie said mosque preachers will stress rejection of attacks on any worship places during the weekly Friday prayer.
"We wish you to know that the Muslim community stand full square with you in revulsion and horror at this vandalism," he wrote to Rabbi Rose, as quoted by islamonline.com.
"To violently damage any building is wrong. That this is a respected place of worship, faith and spirituality makes the crime even more heinous."
There are more than 50,000 Muslims making up less than one percent of the Scottish population, according to the Scottish Islamic Foundation.
Muslims are the second largest religious group in Scotland, which has thirty mosques, including twelve in Glasgow.
The Muslim offer to provide security at the synagogue was welcomed by Mark Gardner, spokesman for the Community Security Trust, a group that offers protection to British Jews.
"This statement and others like it around the UK will hopefully encourage both communities to regard each other as allies in the face of racism and extremism." (dar)
