Ahlul Bayt News Agency (ABNA.ir), PARIS, 18 tombs of the Muslim sector of the Robertsau cemetery in Strasbourg were violated last night by persons unknown that left no trace or message.

The discovery came this morning when the guardian of the 61 tombs arrived.

Socialist mayor Roland Ries defined it a barbaric act, and announced that the municipality will take care of the expense of renovating the burial sites. Strasbourg will inaugurate its Great Mosque in 2011, and by the end of next year will have a cemetery reserved to Muslims, the first public one in France, in the name of religious equality and fair treatment.

The cemetery will be built on a 25,000 square metre surface in the La Meineau neighbourhood and will cost approximately 800,000 euros, financed by the municipality.

Prohibited by law in the rest of France, the creation of a Muslim cemetery under public management is allowed by the local laws of the Alsace-Moselle region.

Since 1973 there have been sectors reserved to Muslims in the cemeteries of Strasbourg, but they are now full so many Muslims are forced to send the bodies of their loved ones back for burial in their country of origin.

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