1,000 experts to defend Algeria’s Great Mosque

The Algerian housing ministry mobilized around 1,000 national and international experts to deny rumors about the Great Mosque project. It was said its minaret will not resist earthquakes and the project will collapse.

The ministry has waged a “war” with “specialists” behind those rumors. They are sceptical about the capacity of the third largest mosque in the world to resist due to its weak platform. Minister Abdelmadjid Teboune had described them as “charlatans” who are motivated by non innocent intentions.

The project was launched in May 2012 under the supervision of the Algerian religious minister before it had been assigned to the housing ministry. The latter found itself in defence position, saying it offered all the technical procedures to make the “President’s project” successful. Hundreds of Algerian and foreign experts were mobilized and the Earthquake National Center gave the go-ahead to start construction.

Earlier, Teboune said the platform is suitable for a 500-meter-minaret. “Because of that, a 43-floor-minaret with 265 meters length will not be damaged by any earthquake.”

Although the project reached 65 percent of construction, critsisim and rumors did not stop. Observers believe that the debate is due to the initial position which was against the project as a whole. It was expressed in a cabinet meeting, sic years ago. Opponents rejected it due to its costs ($1.2 billion) while other parties defended it as they would reflect Algeria’s religious reference.