The army has been accused by a local Muslim group of reinforcing negative perceptions by erecting the seven wooden structures at the firing range in Catterick, North Yorkshire. Initially the military defended them as generic structures used as valuable training tools, but have now conceded to take them down.
An army spokesperson was quoted by the BBC as saying, “It was never our intention for these generic structures to look like or replicate mosques, only to provide a setting similar to operational environments in which our personnel could train.”
“We apologize for any offense that we may have caused. We are working with representatives from the Muslim community and are in the process of removing the offending structures.”
The military also emphasized that the replica-buildings were not used directly as targets.
Ishtiaq Ahmed, chief executive of the Bradford Council of Mosques, told the press that the structures were undoubtedly meant to resemble mosques.
“The shape of the structures, the color of the dome—the green dome—symbolizes an Islamic place of worship,” he said. “Anyone looking at it will think about mosques and Muslims and think about them negatively.”
“What angers me very much is that we are conditioning the young British to say that mosques are a place where you are going to find danger and a place to target,” Ahmed said. “That is really disturbing.”
Replicating the sights and sounds of Afghanistan is not new to army training. A highly realistic ‘Afghan-style village’ was created to train British troops last year in Norfolk, with the help of Afghan nationals.
The Ministry of Defense says the 14 million pound (US$21.4 million) village provides a highly realistic environment, “from the call to prayer heard across a busy market place, and a bustling family home, to a network of claustrophobic alleyways with high walls.”
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