Sandžak mufti calls for "defense of mosques"

A day after Serbia's Muslims got their new leader, his rival accused the state for the split in that community. In a reception in Novi Pazar Friday, Muamer Zukorlic told several hundred of his followers that "if Serbia needs a Serbian mufti then it should make an Islamic community in Belgrade," and called on Muslims in the region to "defend the mosques" from those imams who are on the other side of the divide. Sandzak mufti calls for "defense of mosques" "That mufti can be an UDBA [former name for state security agency], a tycoon, but he cannot be in our mosques," Zukorlic said. On October 3, the Chief Assembly of Serbia's Islamic community ousted Zukorlic and appointed Adem Zilkic as reis-ul-ulema, or the community chief in the country. In reaction to this, the Islamic community assembly with a seat in Novi Pazar on October 6 gave unanimous support to Zukorlic, referring to the Belgrade gathering three days earlier as an assembly of "traitor imams," accusing at that time "Belgrade, [mufti] Jusufspahic and secret police" for the rift. But a ceremony in Bajrakli mosque last Thursday officially appointed Zilkic as the new reis. As a result, several incidents, including attacks on local television stations and police intervention in mosques, where they arrested armed "envoys" from feuding factions, occurred in the past week. The tensions within the organization gathering Serbian Muslims transcend religious, as both sides have different local and state political affiliation: while Zukorlic is seen closer to Rasim Ljajic, Zilkic is affiliated with Sulejman Ugljanin. Now Zukoric spoke about "systematic attempts to ruin the Islamic community" he has been heading for the past 14 years. This has, in his words, been supported by "the hypocritical government in Belgrade, spies, tycoons and Mafiosi," while "the man behind all this is the same one who is destroying Sandzak for the past 15 years," the mufti said, but without giving any names. He then went on to praise his followers, who behaved with "great dignity, responsibility and in a civilized manner," during Thursday's rally in Novi Pazar, when both Zilkic's supporters and his denouncers gathered to meet the new reis. Insults were shouted on the occasion, but a triple cordon of riot police successfully separated the two groups. "Allah has preserved us in this region, which means he wants to do something with us and expects something from us," Zukorlic said, stressing his faction was asked to break off ties with Sarajevo, but that this will not be done, saying that the relationship was "like that between parents and children." He then went on to accuse the Belgrade media "for tension in Sandzak and an attempt to break up the Islamic community," and called on his followers not to pay subscription fees to the state television RTS "until this outlets changes its attitude toward Muslims." But Zukorlic saved his criticism for what he saw as unfair and biased reporting for two other media organizations: Beta news agency, and B92.

Sandžak mufti calls for "defense of mosques"

"That mufti can be an UDBA [former name for state security agency], a tycoon, but he cannot be in our mosques," Zukorlić said.

On October 3, the Chief Assembly of Serbia's Islamic community ousted Zukorlić and appointed Adem Zilkić as reis-ul-ulema, or the community chief in the country.

In reaction to this, the Islamic community assembly with a seat in Novi Pazar on October 6 gave unanimous support to Zukorlić, referring to the Belgrade gathering three days earlier as an assembly of "traitor imams," accusing at that time "Belgrade, [mufti] Jusufspahić and secret police" for the rift.

But a ceremony in Bajrakli mosque last Thursday officially appointed Zilkić as the new reis.

As a result, several incidents, including attacks on local television stations and police intervention in mosques, where they arrested armed "envoys" from feuding factions, occurred in the past week.

The tensions within the organization gathering Serbian Muslims transcend religious, as both sides have different local and state political affiliation: while Zukorlić is seen closer to Rasim Ljajić, Zilkić is affiliated with Sulejman Ugljanin.

Now Zukorić spoke about "systematic attempts to ruin the Islamic community" he has been heading for the past 14 years. This has, in his words, been supported by "the hypocritical government in Belgrade, spies, tycoons and Mafiosi," while "the man behind all this is the same one who is destroying Sandžak for the past 15 years," the mufti said, but without giving any names.

He then went on to praise his followers, who behaved with "great dignity, responsibility and in a civilized manner," during Thursday's rally in Novi Pazar, when both Zilkić's supporters and his denouncers gathered to meet the new reis.

Insults were shouted on the occasion, but a triple cordon of riot police successfully separated the two groups.

"Allah has preserved us in this region, which means he wants to do something with us and expects something from us," Zukorlić said, stressing his faction was asked to break off ties with Sarajevo, but that this will not be done, saying that the relationship was "like that between parents and children."

He then went on to accuse the Belgrade media "for tension in Sandžak and an attempt to break up the Islamic community," and called on his followers not to pay subscription fees to the state television RTS "until this outlets changes its attitude toward Muslims."

But Zukorlić saved his criticism for what he saw as unfair and biased reporting for two other media organizations: Beta news agency, and B92.