Fury at mosque in nativity set

Published on Thursday 25 December 2008 18:18

ITALY'S xenophobic Northern League party reacted with fury after it emerged that a Catholic priest had included a model mosque in his church Christmas nativity scene.

The league, which has campaigned against the building of new mosques, launched a bitter attack on Father Prospero Bonzani.

The mosque, complete with minaret, has been included in the skyline of Bethlehem in the nativity scene at Fr Prospero's church, Our Lady of Providence in Genoa.

The anti-immigration Northern League has campaigned against the building of mosques and called for a referendum to be held before any more are built.

Mario Borghezio, a Northern League MEP, said: "This priest is an imbecile. What on earth possessed him to put a mosque in a traditional Christmas nativity scene? He may as well have included a suicide bomber wearing dynamite.''

However, Fr Prospero was unrepentant and said: "I included the mosque as a sign that we should have more dialogue with the Muslim faith. I do not have any regrets.

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