MUSLIMS CELEBRATE BAYRAM IN ZAGREB

ZAGREB, Dec 5 (Hina) - The head of the Islamic Community in Croatia, Sevko Omerbasic, on Thursday conducted a Bayram celebration in Zagreb's Mosque on the occasion of the Ramadan Bayram which is being celebrated by Muslims all over the world after a month-long fast. #L# In his message to the faithful, Omerbasic expressed satisfaction with the religious life in the community, as well as the announced signing of an agreement between the Islam Community in Croatia and the Croatian government on mutual relations. With this agreement Croatia will efficiently solve relations with Muslims and the agreement may serve as a model in other European countries in solving their relations with Islam communities, said Omerbasic. The agreement, which is to be signed within the next several days, binds the government to return to the Islam community all archives and documents which had been confiscated during the communist rule, Omerbasic said. According to the agreement, imams will be able to visit prisons, hospitals and other state-run institutions in which Muslims live and work. Also, weddings in accordance to the Islamic code will be recognised, said the Islam Community head. Muslims and Islam are being attacked and connected with terrorism the world over, Omerbasic said. Islam is being attacked and accused of being the cause of numerous global problems, while people are not aware that the Islamic faith has nothing to do with these problems, he added. "The true causes of these problems are in the unjust world policy whose merciless influence is affecting not only Muslims, but others as well, especially small peoples," he said. "We should respond to all those who attack the Islamic faith that it is not what it is accused of being, but rather, these are fabrications which insult the dignity and faith of us Muslims," Omerbasic said. (hina) lml sb