Although remnants of ancient mosques are evident throughout Spain, most Muslims gather in apartments, warehouses, and garages as makeshift prayer halls, in order to accommodate a population growth. The shortage of mosques stems in part from the lack of resources common to relatively poor, rapidly growing immigrant groups – but requests to build mosques have been met with resistance from communities suspicious of other communities that may foster violence and radicalism. Distrust sharpened after Islamists bombed commuter trains in Madrid in 2004, just over four years ago this month. Local governments with an angry opposition from non-Muslims have blocked Muslim communities from acquiring land to build mosques. As a result, many Muslim leaders say that some Muslims feel anchorless and marginalized. While opponents often cite the refusal to integrate by immigrants, Muslim leaders in Spain say the lack of proper prayer areas and mosques is actually a barrier to integration.
