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FACTBOX-European converts to Islam

06 Sep 2007 16:20:25 GMT
Source: Reuters

Sept 6 (Reuters) - Two German converts to Islam and a Turkish man living in Germany were arrested this week in connection with an alleged plot to blow up U.S-linked targets in the country. For more see [nL06274053]

Below are some estimated figures for the number of converts to Islam in larger European countries alongside total numbers for their Muslim populations.

GERMANY

The number of Muslims in Germany is estimated at 3.3 million. Around 4,000 Germans converted to Islam last year, according to German media reports quoting figures from the Central Institute Islam Archive. In 2005 there were around 1,000 German converts to Islam.

BRITAIN

The Muslim Council of Britain estimates that there are around 2 million Muslims in Britain.

There are no precise figures for converts but based on the 2001 census figure, researcher Yahya Birt estimated that around 14,000-16,000 Muslims in total in Britain were converts.

ITALY

Italy's Muslim community estimates a population of 1.2 to 1.4 million Muslims. A spokesman for the Rome mosque, one of Europe's largest, gave an estimate of a total of about 15,000 to 20,000 Muslim converts in Italy.

FRANCE The Union of Islamic Organisations (UOIF) estimates there are between 5 and 6 million Muslims in France. Le Parisien newspaper, citing UOIF estimates, said there were 4,000 converts to Islam in the year 2006.

SPAIN Spain's main Islamic organisation has said there are more than 1 million Muslims in Spain of which a small proportion are converts.

For a story on radical Muslim converts in Europe, please click: [nL06558202].

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Last updated:Thu Sep 6 16:21:36 2007