The large Argentine Jewish population and many non-Jews feel that the previous government failed to bring the terrorists to justice because the local police are implicated in the affair. Most of the suspicion has been directed at Iran or Iran-backed groups, but Menem's Syrian ancestry as well as the involvement of several Arabs in corruption and even murder scandals has led to a fogging of issues. Leaders of other religions see the project as a positive step for a nominally Catholic but in fact increasingly secularized society and Christians have expressed their hope that the incoming imams will be pluralist and moderate. In spite of the various dissenting voices and the general ignorance about the Islamic faith, Muslims are optimistic about the mosque's significance for the future of Islam in South America. Jaffar Ali, who maintains a web page for Spanish-speaking Muslims, sees Buenos Aires as an ideal location for spreading a positive, unbiased image of Islam.
People here have an opportunity to see the Islamic world with particular objectivity.
Whereas many countries were affected by colonization and decolonization during The last two centuries, Argentina and her neighbors were not. If Islam is for the moment unexplored in this country, the two thin minarets of the new mosque will alert people to its existence and a new bond will be created between Islam and Latin America.