Bellevue Mosque

{{Short description|Mosque in Gothenburg, Västra Götaland, Sweden}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}

{{Infobox religious building

| name = Bellevue Mosque

| native_name = Bellevuemoskén

| native_name_lang = sv

| image = Generalsgatan 2A.JPG

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| location = Gothenburg, Västra Götaland, Sweden

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The Bellevue Mosque ({{langx|sv|Bellevuemoskén}}) is a mosque in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is located at Generalsgatan 2A in the "Bellevue" district of Gothenburg. The mosque is administered by the Somali-dominated{{Cite book|title=Islam och muslimer i Sverige : en kunskapsöversikt|author=Larsson, Göran|date=2014|publisher=Nämnden för statligt stöd till trossamfund|others=Sverige. Nämnden för statligt stöd till trossamfund.|isbn=9789198061161|location=Bromma|pages=81–82|oclc=941538793}} Islamic Sunni Centre Denomination ({{langx|sv|Islamiska Sunnicentret Trossamfund}}, ISC) and advocates the Salafi movement of Islam.{{Cite web|url=http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=46152&a=578047 |title=Så motarbetas integrationen i Sverige |access-date=2 January 2007 |last=Bergsten |first=Henrik |date=25 April 2006 |publisher=Uppdrag granskning |language=sv |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930044631/http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=46152&a=578047 |archive-date=30 September 2007 }} It was created with funds from Saudi Arabia.{{Cite news|url=https://www.etc.se/inrikes/saudiarabien-finansierar-var-fjarde-svensk-moske|title=Saudiarabien finansierar var fjärde svensk moské|last=Ankersen|first=Dag|date=2017-11-08|work=ETC|access-date=2017-11-25|language=sv}}

The mosque has been in the focus of media several times for its alleged ties to various Islamist and terrorist-designated organizations.{{Cite news|first=Stefan |last=Lisinski |title=Säpo utreder medhjälp till terrorbrott |url=http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=147&a=486684 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070927223355/http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=147&a=486684 |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 September 2007 |publisher=Dagens Nyheter |language=sv |date=11 November 2005 |access-date=2 January 2007}} According to an article in Göteborgs-Tidningen, Mirsad Bektašević, the Swedish citizen of Bosniak descent who was convicted on terrorism-related charges in Sarajevo in 2007, was a frequent attendee of the Bellevue Mosque.{{Cite news |first=Mats |last=Wångersjö |title=Terrormisstänkt utbildades i mosken |url=http://www.expressen.se/index.jsp?a=475183 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130418034827/http://www.expressen.se/index.jsp?a=475183 |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2013 |publisher=Göteborgs-Tidningen |language=sv |date=23 November 2005 |access-date=2 January 2007 }} In the same article it was further claimed that the mosque had financial ties to the al-Haramain Foundation, a Saudi-based charity group which has been listed on the United Nations list of "entities belonging to or associated with al-Qaeda". Representatives from the foundation are also said to have visited the mosque at several occasions.

In December 2006 it was reported that the mosque has been used to collect money for the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in Somalia.{{Cite news|first=Per |last=Sydvik |title=Oroligt bland Göteborgs somalier |url=http://www.gp.se/gp/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=113&a=316271 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930165333/http://www.gp.se/gp/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=113&a=316271 |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 September 2007 |publisher=Göteborgs-Posten |language=sv |date=27 December 2006 |access-date=2 January 2007}}

In July 2009 it was reported that Xasan Xuseen, described as spiritual leader of the Somali Islamist group al-Shabaab, had been invited to speak at a conference at the mosque.{{Cite news|first=Johannes |last=Cleris |title=Terrorutpekad till Göteborg |url=http://www.gp.se/gp/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=113&a=504118 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705173053/http://www.gp.se/gp/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=113&a=504118 |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 July 2009 |publisher=Göteborgs-Posten |date=2 July 2009 |access-date=5 July 2009 |language=sv }} al-Shabaab has carried out several suicide attacks in Somalia and is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States Department of State.{{cite press release|title=Designation of Al-Shabaab |publisher=United States Department of State |date=18 March 2008 |url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2008/mar/102338.htm |access-date=18 March 2008 }} It is also described, although not officially designated, as a terrorist organization by the Swedish Security Service among others.{{cite episode|title=16 mars – om Säpo och om bankernas vinster |url=http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=73338&a=1085036&lid=puff_1086444&lpos=lasMer |series=Agenda |series-link=Agenda (television program) |network=Sveriges Television |station=SVT1 |airdate=2008-03-16 |minutes=29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707055456/http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=73338&a=1085036&lid=puff_1086444&lpos=lasMer |archive-date=7 July 2009 }}

In November 2012, the mosque held the first public dawah course in the Swedish language, it was arranged by controversial British Islamic missionary group iERA and Sveriges Förenade Muslimer.{{Cite book|url=https://www.fhs.se/download/18.7df9907163ed7475b4abe94/1530198487005/F%C3%B6rsvarsh%C3%B6gskolan.%20Mellan%20salafism%20och%20salafistisk%20jihadism_v2.pdf|title=Mellan salafism och salafistisk jihadism – Påverkan mot och utmaningar för det svenska samhället|last=Magnus Ranstorp, Filip Ahlin, Peder Hyllengren, Magnus Normark|publisher=Swedish Defence University|pages=96|access-date=1 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704214212/https://www.fhs.se/download/18.7df9907163ed7475b4abe94/1530198487005/F%C3%B6rsvarsh%C3%B6gskolan.%20Mellan%20salafism%20och%20salafistisk%20jihadism_v2.pdf|archive-date=4 July 2018|url-status=dead}} According to the Swedish Defence University, nearly all individuals who have travelled from Gothenburg to join jihadi groups in Syria have been visitors to the mosque. The official web page of the mosque praise Sharia law as "just and merciful towards society as a whole".

The center was arsoned in 2017 without any injuries.https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/bellevue-mosque-damaged-in-suspected-arson-fire/