During Ramadan, US mosques to adopt heightened security measures

In the United States, and ahead of the holy month, mosques are trying to strengthen their security presence. According to the Washington Post, which visited several prayer rooms in the US, the Muslim community in the country is conducting «preparedness drills» for the month of Ramadan.

Mosques in the US are looking into ways of «hiring armed or undercover security officers, training volunteers, installing cameras and adding locks», the same source said.

In a Northern Virginia mosque, the Muslim community held a meeting ahead of Ramadan to prepare staff from mosques in the region for new security measures. The meeting was also about discussing ways of receiving public funds to «hire security guards» and afford heightened security presence.

Dar Al-Hijrah mosque in Northern Virginia will be adopting an increased security presence in Ramadan, at every prayer time. «This Ramadan, those guards suggested a new practice : searching attendees’ bags when they enter», the same source said.

«Houses of worship should not be military barracks», Dar Al-Hijrah staffer Saif Rahman told the Washington Post. «I just hope instead of us thinking along those lines, we think about how we can heal wounds and fight ignorance together», he added.

These new security measures are adopted in several US mosques in the wake of a series of attacks on houses of worship. One of these attacks is the Christchurch terror massacre, which took place on March the 15th, during a Friday prayer in New Zealand.