London Mosque Holds Open House

In the wake of the London terror trio, the Boston bombings and the Via Rail train derailment plot, followers of Islam have been asked to answer questions about their faith.

On Sunday, in an effort to provide more understanding the London Mosque was open to the general public.

"I actually know little or nothing about the faith," admits Debbie.

"I've always wanted to know what goes inside here, which is the honest truth," says Susan Donati.

Visitors got a chance to see their names in Arabic script, the prayer room and a prayer service.

Islam is a religion of peace, but one that is often misunderstood, viewed as closed off to nonbelievers and twisted to justify heinous acts against humanity.

"I think it is a basic rule that people are fearful of what they don't know. So if you get to know something and you find it good then there is no fear most people would accept it," says Imam Mahmoud Haddara.

Sunday's open house wasn't just about opening the doors to members of other faiths, it was also about separating the London Muslim Mosque from the London trio and Islam from terrorism.

Former worshiper Aaron Yoon remains jailed in Mauratania for his connections to Al Qaeda.

His friends Kris Katsiroubas and Ali Medkej are dead, involved in a deadly terrorist attack on an Algerian gas plant.

All are accused of being radical Muslims.

The same is being said of the Toronto and Montreal men accused of plotting a Via Rail derailment, potentially killing thousands and the alleged Boston bombers.

"Whatever happened is not the responsibility of the religion, it is the responsibility of the individuals who committed these heinous acts," says Imam Mahmoud Haddara.

And other men of faith agree.
"Islam is a religion of peace, now it's possible to pick up bits and pieces of the Qur'an and twist it into all sorts of distorted ways, in the same way you can do the same thing to the bible," says Garry Milley of Church of the Oaks.