Leo Varadkar - "Muslim community growing and Ireland much better place"

Leo Varadkar visiting the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland says Ireland is a "much better place" as a result of a growing muslim community .   
      

I'm really happy to be here today in the Islamic Cultural centre of Ireland to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with the muslim community in Ireland .

As you know the muslim community in Ireland is growing and Ireland is a much better place I believe for Diversity

- Leo Varadkar  

 

  

The Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland (ICCI) is Ireland's largest Islamic Centre based in Clonskeagh Dublin . In 1992 , Sheikh Hamdan Ben Rashid al-Maktoum, the Deputy Governor of Dubai and Minister for Finance in the United Arab Emirates personally financed the purchase of  the land for the construction of the centre which includes a national school . 

It was opened in 1996 by President Mary Robinson and Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum himself .

Head of the ICCI is Imam Hussein Mohammed Halawa , the father of Ibrahim Halawa (to the left of  Leo Varadkar in the video) . 

In 2009 , A confidential US diplomatic Cable published on the wikileaks.org website stated that in 2004 , members of the Centre celebrated after Irish Aid Worker Margaret Hassan was abducted in Iraq and later murdered by Islamic extremists . She was 59 years old . Margaret was involved in bringing leukaemia medicine to child cancer victims and was well known and liked in many of Baghdad's slums and other cities in Iraq .

The cable also reveals how children at the centres muslim school had to take a day off school after a senior Al Qaeda leader - Al-Zarqaw was killed in Iraq and were visibly upset at his passing .

Link to cable 

 
The Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland is also the Headquarters of the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) of which Mr Halawa is general secretary . 

The president of the ECFR is Egyptian Cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi. 

Al-Qaradawi has spoken in support of suicide bombings in Israel and has also praised Hitler for what he did to the Jews . 
 
Speaking in support of suicide bombings in Israeli , al-Qaradawi told BBC Newsnight in 2005 that: 
 

I consider this type of martyrdom operation as an indication of the justice of Allah Almighty. Allah is just - through his infinite wisdom he has given the weak what the strong do not possess and that is the ability to turn their bodies into bombs like the Palestinians do. 

- Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi , president of the ECFR based in Clonskeagh 

In January 2009 , in a programme aired on Al-Jazeera TV , Al-Qaradawi praised Hitler for what he did to the Jews :
 

Throughout history, Allah has imposed upon them people who would punish them for their corruption.

The last punishment was carried out by Hitler.

By means of all the things he did to them – even though they exaggerated this issue – he managed to put them in their place.

This was divine punishment for them. Allah willing, the next time will be at the hand of the believers 

the only thing I hope for is that as my life approaches its end , allah will give  me an opportunity to go to the land of Jihad and resistance , even if in a wheelchair , I will shoot Allah's enemies the Jews  

- Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi , president of the ECFR based in Clonskeagh  

 

  
  
In a programme aired on Qatar TV on July 2007 , Al-Qaradawi said that Islam will conquer Europe without resorting to the sword or fighting : 
 

The conquest of Rome – the conquest of Italy, and Europe – means that Islam will return to Europe once again.

Must this conquest necessarily be though war? No. There is such a thing as peaceful conquest...

The peaceful conquest has foundations in this religion, and therefore, I expect that Islam will conquer Europe without resorting to the sword or fighting. It will do so by means of da'wa and ideology. Europe is miserable with materialism, with the philosophy of promiscuity, and with the immoral considerations that rule the world – considerations of self-interest and self-indulgence. It is high time Europe woke up and found a way out from this. Europe will find no life saver or life boat other than Islam. Islam will save Europe from the raging materialism from which it suffers 

- Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradawi , president of the ECFR based in Clonskeagh