France closes mosques with powers that some critics say use ‘secretive evidence’

Karim Daoud, head of the Allonnes mosque's associations, poses at the city's youth services in Allonnes, near Le Mans, France March 15, 2022. The sentence means: "The freedom of others". Picture taken March 15, 2022. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

For three years, Karim Daoud ran the mosque in this small town in northwest France. He also coached kids’ soccer teams and for more than two decades has worked for the local council's youth services.

Daoud was among those who visited a nearby Catholic church to express solidarity following a deadly Islamist extremist attack at a church in southern France in 2020.