Muslims in Athens: In search of a place to pray

The mayor has attracted the support of the church, which has agreed to the principle of a mosque but won't agree to a location. "Does the first image of Greece a foreigner sees [as he gets off a plane] have to be a Muslim mosque?" asks Greek Church spokesman Father Epifanios Economou.

Some Muslims are displeased with the Peania solution too. "It's two hours away by bus," says Anwar, the Pakistani immigrant. "None of us can go there. We work long hours and all the Muslims I know live in the center of town in neighborhoods like this."

No mosques have officially operated in Athens since the Greek war of independence ended Ottoman occupation in 1829. Former Muslim places of worship were either converted into museums or left derelict. A place of worship cannot be established in Greece without a government permit.

Greek officials say that none of the estimated 22 unofficial places of worship have applied for permits. The mainly first-generation Muslim immigrants fear a crackdown on their religious activities if they disturb the status quo by seeking recognition for unofficial mosques, says Anwar. "At the moment they leave us alone, and we are worried that may change if we make demands," he says. The illegal mosques are tolerated at the discretion of local officials.

Conscious of the intensifying international spotlight on Greece with the coming Olympics, the government has sworn to override objections to the mosque. "We have to ensure that representatives of Muslim countries and Muslim spectators have the right to exercise their religious needs," said Foreign Minister George Papandreou.

Panayote Dimitras, at the human rights organization Helsinki Monitor, warns against leaving one quarter of the capital's immigrants at the mercy of a network of illegal mosques. "Research has continually shown the link between unregulated places of worship and the rise of religious extremists. The government has to take the initiative in giving legal recognition."

The Peania mosque is being funded by Saudi Arabia, which has been accused of promoting the spread of an extreme form of Islam - a charge which it has denied.

Mr. Dimitras's warning is echoed by Sotiris Roussos, a lecturer in Near East studies at Athens' Panteion University: "These people haven't come for politics, they came to find work, but they have spiritual needs. If these are served by someone with no official background, then we could have a problem," he says.

Professor Roussos says an official mosque can play a role in steering the community away from extremists. He argues that a respected imam - who would be appointed by board of trustees including Greek and foreign donors - would provide a "religious reference point" for Muslim immigrants and defuse resentment.

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