Proposals to ban niqab, the face veil worn by some Muslim women, are gaining support in France and Britain. France saw its first crime by “burqa bandits” on February 6, when two men wearing head-to-foot female “Islamic” garments robbed a post office in the Parisian suburb of Athis-Mons. The men gained entrance by convincing the clerks that they were women, then lifted their veils to disclose that they were not, drew at least one firearm, and stole about $6,000.
Three days earlier, French prime minister François Fillon rejected an application for citizenship by a man who compelled his wife to wear the face veil. The petitioner was not identified, but was reported to be Moroccan and a supporter of the radical fundamentalist Tabligh-i-Jamaat, which originates in South Asia but has gained a noticeable presence among French Muslims. French authorities have proposed a specific law against women wearing extreme coverings while riding on public transportation, and are pondering a general regulation against the practice.
