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Welcome to IONA Masjid
Your place of worship and learning
IONA in the News
Macomb County
Trying Again For Warren Mosque (April 10, 2006)
Group To Ask City Panel Tonight To Approve Its Plan
An Islamic organization is set to ask Warren officials again for a chance to build the city's first
mosque.
Steve Elturk, president of the Islamic Organization of North America, said Wednesday that he
plans to go before the Planning Commission tonight to seek approval to build a mosque and the
organization's headquarters on Ryan Road, just south of 12 Mile. The commission voted 6-3
against the proposal on March 16.
The commissioners who voted against the proposal said their concerns included traffic, parking
spaces and the possibility that the mosque would broadcast calls to prayer that might disrupt the
neighborhood. Elturk said he had no intentions of using a loudspeaker to announce the calls to
prayer. He said the commission was discriminating against him and the organization.
Elturk declined to comment further until after the meeting.
He previously said he was considering filing suit against the city on grounds that the
commission violated his civil rights. No suit has been filed. The Michigan chapter of the Council
on American-Islamic Relations is aware of the situation.
Planning Commissioner Alan Casmere said last week that was surprised by the accusations of
discrimination from Elturk.
Last year, Elturk wanted to build the mosque in Hazel Park, but city officials would not rezone a
piece of property to accommodate him.
Elturk and the organization bought the former strip mall on Ryan in August, and had already
agreed in writing to not broadcast the five daily calls to prayer outside.
The meeting is to begin at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Warren Community Center, 5460
Arden Road. The public is welcome.
Contact DAN CORTEZ at 586-469-1827 or cortez@freepress.com.
About IONA
IONA's objective is to help the Muslims of North America understand and fulfill their divinely ordained obligations, in order to please Allah (SWT) and thereby achieve success and salvation in the Hereafter.
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