The Muslim community in Tilburg has become divided over the role of the United Tilburg consultation body (VT), an alliance of eight Muslim organisations founded in 2023 to support the Novum Saeculum Lyceum and act as a municipal interlocutor. Stichting Islamic Primary Education (SIPO) and Muslim Empowerment Tilburg (MET), which often works with SIPO, say they have been excluded from discussions. MET described the situation as sectarian division, exclusion and mutual reproaches, and called for equal cooperation.

Driss Elabbassi, chairman of the El-Feth Mosque, Tilburg’s largest mosque and a VT member, said two organisations within VT were blocking contact with SIPO and MET. He wanted to withdraw the mosque from VT and suspend its board, but two other board members said the mosque remained part of VT and that he could not decide alone. People around Novum Saeculum director Soner Atasoy were reportedly involved, but Atasoy denied this and said the municipality was trying to divide VT; he said there was no conflict. VT representative Charif Chahid acknowledged that it had previously been critical of SIPO but said it could talk to other organisations. The municipality had not yet responded, and an attempt at reconciliation was under way.