French authorities have ordered the six-month closure of a mosque in Aulnay-sous-Bois after accusing it of promoting radical Islamist ideology, glorifying terrorism, legitimizing jihad and encouraging violence.
The decision, announced Monday by the Seine-Saint-Denis prefecture, targets the Attaqwa Mosque, commonly known as the Chanteloup Mosque, and marks one of France's most significant recent actions against an Islamic place of worship accused of extremist preaching. Officials said the closure was ordered under Article L.227-1 of France's Internal Security Code because sermons delivered inside the mosque and content shared by its imams on social media amounted to repeated incitement to violence, hatred and terrorism.
In a statement, the prefecture said the mosque was spreading "a radical Islamist ideology" that "repeats the rhetoric of terrorist organizations, legitimizes jihad and glorifies death as a martyr." Authorities further alleged that regular imams, along with invited guest speakers, promoted ideas that "incite violence, hatred or discrimination," "glorify acts of terrorism," and encourage others to commit terrorist offenses. The closure will remain in force for six months. French officials said the decision was justified by the "seriousness and repeated nature" of the statements made by those preaching at the mosque.
The case has drawn renewed attention after one imam was exposed online for encouraging Muslims to strike children aged 11 and older if they refused to pray. The imam had spoken at the mosque. The association managing the mosque has launched an emergency legal challenge seeking to overturn the closure. Lawyer Rafik Chekkat argued the government's allegations rely on evidence that is "insufficient, imprecise and unsupported." He also claimed mosque officials had repeatedly requested a meeting with the prefect before the closure order was issued but were refused.
The move comes amid increasingly aggressive Islamist extremism in France, with authorities using administrative powers to close places of worship accused of encouraging radicalization or supporting terrorism. "The state has a duty to intervene when religious institutions are used to spread messages that legitimize jihad, glorify martyrdom or encourage violence against others," French officials said in a statement.
The legal challenge is expected to be heard by the Administrative Court of Montreuil later this week.
