How can we fight the jihad when Carla Del Ponte and EU are being used to enable it? Of course, if our own government is helping the jihad secure its Balkan base in Bosnia, what does one want from Croatians. The inauguration of the Sultan Selim Mosque at Stolac last summer was a monumental event for the Muslims of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The new mosque replaced the one that was built during Ottoman rule, but which had been destroyed during the 1990s war. Although most of the Muslim hierarchy of B-H was present for the festivities, their Christian counterparts were conspicuous by their absence. But, after all, given the politics and the tenor of the speeches, it was strictly a Muslim affair.

The decision to build the mosque was clouded with controversy. A very commendable Op-Ed piece by Ivica Milvoncic, (“Selimova djamija u Stocu ostaje kamen smutnje” [Vjesnik, 28 August 2003]) that was a to attempt to explain the problem fell short. An understanding the history is necessary in order to put this controversy into proper perspective.

When the Muslims originally built the mosque on what had been a pre-existing Catholic Church site it was not at all unique. Throughout history Muslims never hesitated to destroy churches to erect mosques on the same sites, or to convert existing churches. In fact, transforming existing Christian churches was often one of their first acts when Muslims conquered new territory.

From the time of Islam’s first military incursions outside of Arabia, the Muslim hierarchy astutely realized that imposition of Muslim architectonic signs sent a loud and clear political message to the vanquished. The religious significance was only of secondary consideration.

Mosques and their accompanying minarets, aside from reorganizing urban spaces to support Muslim activities, reinforce political and religious values of their presence upon an urban environment, especially in areas where Muslims are not in the majority. Mosques were even built in After plans were proposed for the mosque it evoked a great deal of protest from a wide spectrum—including the town’s council, which was comprised of the groups that make up the hodge-podge of B-H’s diversity, local Muslims, and archeologists. Stolac’s town council and Muslims were opposed to its building at the proposed site because they had a better location in mind, while the archeologists were interested in uncovering an ancient Christian monastery that preexisted the Muslim era.

Cardinal Puljic is only man who stands in the way of path to destruction and extinction of Catholics in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Despite legitimate protests Sarajevo’s Muslim hierarchy and Wolfgang Petritsch, who had the final say so, acquiesced to British pressure, overruled all local sensibilities and forced the issue. Most significantly, Petritsch ignored evidence that some of the funding for the mosque came from sources that had alleged ties with Muslim terrorist organizations.

Just as Nero fiddled while Rome burned, Petritsch fiddled his wrath against the Croats while the muhajdins were burning dogma into the hearts and minds of the Bosnian Muslims. During the time Petritsch was spending his energies demonizing and harassing Croats the muhajdins were teaching and transforming the most secularized Muslims of the Islamic world into mirror images of themselves. And just as President Bush, the elder, ignored warnings that Yugoslavia was on the verge of war; Petritsch ignored warnings about the Muslim fundamentalists in B-H.

While some commentators labeled Reis Mustafa Ceric’s statements at Stolac as intolerant, it should be noted that his statements were typical of the undeviating utterances of all Imams. In his wrathful statements Reis Ceric apparently has forgotten Cardinal Pujic’s goodness and the Catholic Church’s caring for Muslim refugees and displaced persons. Clearly Ceric did not learn about objectivity or tolerance when he studied in the United States. Until the mid twentieth century the confessional faiths lived in relatively harmony in Muslim ruled countries. Since then there has been a tremendous turnaround. While the imams publicly articulate to Western audiences that Muslims are tolerant of other religions, the realpolitik is another story.

One only has to look to the Copts in Egypt and the Christians in Syria as examples. Christian communities in predominate Muslim countries have been decimated. Those, who remain, live in fear. Although the Muslims acknowledge ‘people of the book’ they only pay lip service to the concept and care absolutely nothing for the plight of non-Muslims.

Despite deaths of countless innocents from the hands of their co-religionists, such as the airline high-jackings of the 70s; the tragic events in Palestine and Israel; the September 11th disastrous incidents in the United States, the wanton destruction of Buddhists statues in Afghanistan; and most recently, the bombing in Indonesia; there has not been one voice raised from the Muslim clergy in condemnation of these inhumanities. Their collective silence implies a tacit approval of these actions. Perhaps crimes committed in the name of religion are the greatest crimes.