One of the black figures of the Islamic community in Switzerland, the imam of Albanian origin Union Aliu, has been forced to flee all its public functions following a research of the SontagsZeitung newspaper. Research cleared his homophobic statements as well as close contacts with radical Islamic circles, including participation in an event attended by Hamas leader Ismail Hanije, while killed in Tehran by Israel.

Aliu led the Imam Commission near the Federation of Islamic Organisations in Switzerland ( FIDS) and served as the highest theological authority of the Union of Islamic Organisations in Zürrich ( VIOZ), in which it maintained regular official contact with Swiss cantonal and municipal authorities.

But after the discovery was published, FIDS has immediately dismissed him from his duties, while Ali himself has been forced to resign from all posts within VIOZ.

The Swiss newspaper discovered a series of controversian attitudes of imam, among which a post in 2017 where he named the Pristina parade Pride) as a paraade of shame. Swiss Organizations V IOZ and FIDS were firmly distanced, stressing that homophobic attitudes or that violate human dignity conflict with their principles and Swiss law.

The worst part of the scandal is linked to an Ali’s trip to Doha, Qatar, in January 2024. There he attended the General Assembly of the International Union of Muslim Erudite, an organisation closely associated with the Muäyslimian Brethren. 

At the same event, the then chief of Hamas, Ismail Hanije, also gave a speech. 

FIDS leaders said they had no knowledge of Ali’s participation in this conference, while the V The IOZ announced that he had not travelled on their behalf and that the issue is undergoing further verification. The case has also taken on political proportions because of public financing. 

From 2017 to 2025, the Zürch canton has passed the V The IOZ about 2.5 million francs for the Islamic spiritual care project in public institutions, in addition to annual support of 50,000 francs from the city of Zürrich itself.

Source Layer: Insander