Terror case pushes tiny mosque into media spotlight

MONTREAL – There were some tense moments today outside a tiny Montreal mosque where a man charged with terrorism used to occasionally pray.

Chiheb Esseghaier is facing several terrorism charges in an alleged plot the RCMP say was directed by al-Qaida.

Two men who attended today’s prayer at the mosque say they hadn’t seen Esseghaier there for at least a year — and both insist they know little about him.

They say Esseghaier was not a regular at the mosque.

A man who described himself as a founder of the centre expressed exasperation at the media presence outside and said he feared it would drive worshippers away.

A man who said he owned the building was even angrier. During a lengthy scolding he demanded that media stop videotaping, or even taking notes, while he spoke because he did not want to be interviewed.

Eventually, municipal police officers arrived at the building in west-end Montreal.

Several prayer attendees say they are concerned with how their place of worship and the Muslim community is being portrayed by the media after Monday’s arrest.

Anour Lahrach says the prayer space is always peaceful and that there is never any talk of terrorism there, at the Cote-des-Neiges Socio-Cultural Centre.

Another man describes the prayer room as a drop-in centre with no official membership that caters to people who are moderate and well integrated in Canada.