Turkey: Is An Istanbul Grand Mosque, Erdogan's Latest "Crazy Project," in the Works

Along with his suggestion that abortion may soon be banned, the other bombshell that mercurial Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently dropped was that his government is planning to build a massive mosque up on one of Istanbul's highest hills, designed so that it could be seen from almost every part of the city. Reports the Hurriyet Daily News:

"We are going to build a mosque over 15,000 meters square next to the broadcasting tower in Çamlica. The planning work is nearing completion. I believe the bulldozers will begin working within two months. This giant mosque in Çamlica was designed so as to be visible from all parts of Istanbul,” Erdogan said late May 29, while speaking at the opening ceremony of a traditional handicrafts center in the nearby district of Kandilli.

Foundations General Director Adnan Ertem, Istanbul Governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu, Police Chief Hüseyin Çapkin, Üsküdar Mayor Mustafa Kara and Emine Erdogan, the prime minister’s wife, also attended yesterday’s ceremony. (...)