Proposed Muslim cemetery raises concern about 'radical Islam' in Texas

Associated Press in Dallas
Sunday 19 July 2015 17.12 BST

Muslims say they are looking for a place to bury their dead. Locals say it’s a plot to gain a foothold in their small rural Texas town.

A proposal to bring a Muslim cemetery to Farmersville has stoked fears among residents who are vehemently trying to convince community leaders to block the project. The sentiment reflects an anti-Muslim distrust that has been brewing over the last year in parts of Texas, most notably 25 miles away in Garland – the scene of a deadly May shooting outside a cartoon contest lampooning the Prophet Mohammad.

“The concern for us is the radical element of Islam,” David J Meeks, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, told the Dallas Morning News. He said he thinks the cemetery would be the first step toward a broader Muslim expansion in town.

“How can we stop a mosque or madrassa training center from going in there?” he asked, referring to a type of Islamic school.

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