Swiss Group Fights Against Islam's Minarets

A debate on freedom of religion featuring ultra-nationalist zealots is playing out in the most unlikely of places: a sleepy hamlet in Switzerland. A group is trying to block the construction of a 30-foot tall minaret on a mosque in Langenthal (pop. 14,000) because it's a symbol of Islam's "desire for power," the Independent reports.

An anti-foreigner political party is leading the charge and wants to make an example of the town ahead of a national referendum on the issue it forced onto the ballot in November. "There may be different laws governing this kind of thing in certain part of Paris or Berlin, but we don't want them in Switzerland," says a campaign leader. (More minarets stories.)