Austrian army gets Muslim imams: report

[abuyemeni]

[ Sunday, 13 January 2008 ]

Muslims are second largest religious group

Austrian army gets Muslim imams: report

VIENNA (AFP)

The Austrian army is due to appoint two imams to serve its ever-growing number of Muslim troops, national broadcaster ORF reported Saturday.

The imams, who will not be enrolled in the army unlike their Catholic counterparts, will be appointed by the end of March at the earliest, ORF quoted Defence Minister Norbert Darabos as saying.

Muslims, many of them Turks, are the second largest religious group in the Austrian army, and their number continues to grow.

The daily Die Presse estimates some 1,000 soldiers currently doing their compulsory national service are Muslim.
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2008/01/13/44142.html