Morocco's clamp down on Islamists continues.

"No one will now be able to use places of worship for other ends and there will be no more clandestine mosques."

On Tuesday night a new law governing the building of mosques was approved by the Moroccan parliament but has drawn protests from the Islamist opposition parties who claim it will hinder the construction of mosques in impoverished rural areas.

The legislation, which aims at tightening the supervision over Islamist elements, sets out procedures for both the collection of funds and actual construction. Those wishing to build a new mosque will now need to get special permission from the authorities. They will need to first form a legal association and identify those collecting and granting funding for the mosque's construction. Any extension of a mosque will also require permission

The legislation was drafted by Islamic affairs minister Ahmed Toufiq (pictured left), who welcomed the approval of the bill by parliament on Monday night, saying: "No one will now be able to use places of worship for other ends and there will be no more clandestine mosques."

The minister responded to Islamist opposition to the law by saying the law would thwart any attempt to take advantage of mosques for "non-peaceful purposes." He also denied that his ministry's reform was the result of external pressures.

In May 2006 the Tunisian Ministry For Internal Affairs made a similar move, when it announced its plan to provide a magnetic card to each worshiper. The project aimed at "improving the system of worshiping" as part of the national reforms in the country, explained Internal Affairs Minister Al-Hadi Muhanni.

According to the plan, each worshiper was to be handed a magnetic card, with his photo, address and name of the mosque he wants to pray in.

Morocco has been approving legislation to crack down on Islamic fundamentalists ever since the May 2003 Casablanca attacks in which 12 suicide bombers struck five targets representing Spanish and Jewish interests, killing 33 bystanders.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news