Oussama El-Saadi, chairman of the Grimhøj Mosque in Aarhus, went on trial in the High Court on Tuesday, charged with social fraud worth 738,000 kroner. He denies all charges.
DR reports that El-Saadi appeared in court alongside his cousin, with whom he has four children. The two are accused of defrauding public authorities of 738,000 kroner in benefits.
According to the prosecution, the pair presented themselves as single at two neighboring addresses. Prosecutors say they were in fact living together at the same address. That allegedly allowed them to receive more in disability pension and housing support than they were entitled to.
Speaking to DR, El-Saadi rejected every charge against him. He said he is careful to follow the rules and has no interest in breaking the law. According to DR, his clothes and medicine were found in the apartment, while his own apartment was rented out to other people.
In 2024, Aarhus District Court sentenced both defendants to 15 months of suspended imprisonment. El-Saadi also received three months in prison for insurance fraud. He appealed that judgment, and told DR he is confident he will be acquitted.
A contested public figure
Jesper Petersen, an associate professor and researcher of Islam at the University of Copenhagen, has followed Danish mosques closely for years. As he told DR, El-Saadi is a controversial voice in the public debate about Islam in Denmark. Petersen pointed to documentaries about Islamic communities, including the series “Moskerne bag sløret”, where El-Saadi defended the mosque.
The mosque in Brabrand, in Aarhus, has been debated for years. Several young men who attended it traveled to Syria to fight in the civil war, some for the terrorist organization Islamic State before the caliphate fell in 2019.
El-Saadi told DR that he worked with several authorities under the so-called Aarhus model to stop departures to Syria. He said that work received praise at the time from several quarters. He also stressed that he has never wanted a caliphate established in Denmark.
According to TV 2 Østjylland, the 2024 district court conviction prompted reactions among local politicians in Aarhus. Several of them demanded that Aarhus Municipality strengthen its efforts against social fraud.
A verdict in the High Court case is expected later this week, DR reports. The prosecution service declined to give an interview ahead of the trial.
