Islamic schools are becoming too controversial and they are already controversial,” Interior Minister Tareq al-Shami said. “Asking them to avoid using their mosque or schools to hold offensive weapons training is a legitimate request. They should conduct this training in a place other than a mosque.”
Al-Shami added: “If we raise our voices too much, we will lose our intelligence and hold no surprises. If they accept to use other places for their training, then we will know how to respond.”
When asked whether the ministry had requested permission from the school in Mokha to use other locations for military training, he replied: “The ministry is not requesting that. They are within their rights and the state has no right to prevent them from using any place for their training. But we ask them not to use a mosque for this training. It would ruin the entire situation. If we block schools and mosques, you can bet that the terrorist groups will have an excuse to recruit them.”