The faces of potential Islamic terrorism are becoming a growing part of the Southeast Texas landscape.  A mosque in Beaumont’s west end just opened its doors less than a month ago, taking over a building that was once a Christian church.

12News Now  The chairman of the Southeast Texas Islamic Society, Mohammed Azam Ali, says the Muslim religion abrogates all previous religions, so he finds it symbolic that the mosque is now where a Christian church once was. The mosque’s spiritual leader, Imam Majed Sabke, said,  “My neighbor is not caught in a fire because of me, my neighbor on the other side is still alive, he’s not dying, there’s no suicide bomber.” (Not yet, give them time)

The increased number of Southeast Texas Muslims not only led to the mosque in Beaumont’s west end being set up, but over on the south end, there are plans to replace the city’s original mosque, on Cardinal Drive, with a much bigger one. 

Yusuf Abdul-Hakeem with the Islamic Center of Beaumont said, “The new mosque does reflect the growth of Islam in this area.”  That’s why future plans for both mosques included adding schools.