Switzerland"s decision to ban the construction...

The Alpine country held a nationwide referendum on Sunday, one of the three questions being whether to allow the building of new minarets - towers on mosques from where Muslims are called to prayer. A total of 57.5% of voters and 22 out of 26 cantons backed the proposal, put forward by the rightist Swiss People"s Party (SVP).

The government and parliament had spoken against the initiative, but were forced to accept the popular vote. Switzerland has 400,000 Muslims out of a total population of 7.7 million.

"A majority of the Swiss people and the cantons have adopted the popular initiative against the construction of minarets. The Federal Council respects this decision. Consequently the construction of new minarets in Switzerland is no longer permitted," the Swiss government said in a statement on its website on Sunday.

"The four existing minarets will remain. It will also be possible to continue to construct mosques. Muslims in Switzerland are able to practice

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