A file photo of Malmo mosque set to fire in 2003.

By Yahia Abu Zakarya, IOL Correspondent

STOCKHOLM, September 19, 2005 (IslamOnline.net)- Some 55,000 members of the Swedish Muslim minority in the southern Swedish city of Malmo have lost their place of worship after arsonists set ablaze the city mosque, for the second time, only days after a poll showed more than two thirds of Swedes believed Islam was incompatible with the values of the Swedish society.

Police sources said that the assailants sneaked to the mosque garden After `Isha’ (Evening) Prayer Saturday, September 17, and threw Molotov bombs, setting the mosque on fire.

According to IOL correspondent, the perpetrators chose a perfect timing to carry out their crime, knowing the mosque was empty after prayers and no one would be there to put off the fire.

The Malmo mosque was inaugurated in 1984 as the first one in Scandinavia .

The mosque was set on fire for the first time back in April 2003, by two arsonists that belonged to the anti-Muslim rightist current. Muslims then managed to restore and reopen the mosque for performing prayers and delivering religious classes.

Intolerance

The mosque before being set ablaze for the second time.

The mosque attack, meanwhile, coincided with the publication of a poll conducted some days earlier, that showed that Swedes to be less tolerant to Muslims and Islam than to any other religion or cult.

According to the poll, two thirds of Swedes believe that Islamic values are incompatible with the Swedish society.

While 60% said that they trusted Muslims can coexist peacefully, a similar percentage said that they would not consider moving to a neighborhood with Muslim majority.

Some 50% further opposed Hijab in public schools and work place.

Racism

Helena Ben Ouda, chairman of the Islamic Council in Sweden, believed that the poll result rings the bell that anti-Islam sentiment is sweeping  Sweden.

She told IOL Monday, September 19, Islam became portrayed as the "new enemy" and thus being criticized and made a new object of condemnation and attack.

She expressed fear that the London Blasts in July 2005, would further worsen the situation.

Hassan Mousa, chairman of the Swedish Council for Imams, was alarmed by the poll results, since the Swedish society has been sympathizing with the Arab and Muslim causes.

He added that something has to be done before it is too late.

Since the September 11 attacks in the United States , Muslims in Sweden has been suffering racial incidents from throwing pig heads at mosques, destroying the Islamic Center in Malmo by arsonists to organizing anti-Islam demonstrations.

The Muslim minority has established the Office of Discrimination Against Muslims, in April 2004, upon an initiative from the Islamic Council in Sweden and other leading Islamic unions and associations in the European country to probe into acts of violence, hatred to or discrimination against the Muslim minority.

Swedish Muslims make up some 350 thousands, many of whom have asylum status, especially Iraqis, Kurds and Iranians, among a population of 9 millions.

Despite the fact that the Swedish Muslim minority is a relatively new one, unlike that of other European countries, Muslim leaders in Sweden boast that Islam has been growing to become the second official religion in the country, after Christianity.