TRAINING grounds at a North Yorkshire army base containing structures resembling mosques have been described as “stupid” and “wrong” by a member of the Muslim community.
Professor Mohamed El-Gomati of the University of York said he believed the structures on a firing range at Catterick were insulting to the Muslim population.
He said: “The army said they built the ‘mosques’ to replicate the environment troops would be patrolling, but where are the houses? They have a line of ‘mosques’ in a grassy field, it’s stupid to suggest that replicates Afghanistan.”
Prof El-Gomati also said the structures were evidence of the army’s lack of consideration.
He said: “The mindset that Muslims are the enemy is ridiculous. The Muslim population is not the enemy – radicals and extremists are.
“This collective punishment of Muslims is stupid, it is wrong to tar Muslims all over the world with the same brush. Preparing the troops with a set up like this is another example of the Government failing them once again.”
Prof El-Gomati is a religious advisor to a number of UK universities and charities and said the only way the issue could be resolved was through discussion.
He said: “I do not want an apology because they mean nothing. I want a sensible person from the army and the Government to sit down with representatives of the Muslim community for a sensible discussion.”
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said the structures were not targets on the range.
He said: “We apologise for any offence that we may have caused. It was never our intention for these generic structures to look like or replicate mosques, only to provide a setting similar to operational environments in which our personnel could train. We are seeking a meeting with representatives from the Muslim community to hear their concerns in order to discuss the way forward.”
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