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German minister urges Muslims to combat militancy
June 24, 2011, 8:18 p.m. | World — by Reuters
Germany's Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich
BERLIN, June 24 (Reuters) - Germany's interior minister urged the local Muslim community on June 24 to join government efforts to combat radicalism among young Muslims, putting a special focus on the influence of militant websites.
"We want to stand up to the radicalisation and misuse of religion together," Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said after talks with leaders of the Muslim community and security experts on how to prevent the spread of militancy.
"All citizens of this country, no matter what our political tendency or religion, must take on the fight against radicalism and terror," he told reporters.
Friedrich gave the example of a 21-year-old Kosovan man, brought up in Germany, who attacked a bus carrying U.S. military personnel at Frankfurt airport in March, killing two airmen.
He said Arid Uka, who has been charged with murder by U.S. federal prosecutors, had become radicalised in Germany "not in the classical environment of a mosque or Muslim society but on the Internet".
Germany's political opposition said the conservative government risked casting suspicion on all Muslims.
"If we want to isolate extremists who are prone to violence, we must support moderate Muslims and make them feel welcome in Germany," said the centre-left Social Democrats' parliamentary leader, Thomas Oppermann.
The head of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, Aiman Mazyek, said extremists were a tiny minority: "We have over 2,500 mosques and there aren't even a dozen fringe groups." "We have to make it clear they are a small and dwindling group and that by talking about them and hyping them, we just strengthen them," Mazyek told reporters. "That should not be the aim of a conference like this."
"All citizens of this country, no matter what our political tendency or religion, must take on the fight against radicalism and terror," he told reporters.
Friedrich gave the example of a 21-year-old Kosovan man, brought up in Germany, who attacked a bus carrying U.S. military personnel at Frankfurt airport in March, killing two airmen.
He said Arid Uka, who has been charged with murder by U.S. federal prosecutors, had become radicalised in Germany "not in the classical environment of a mosque or Muslim society but on the Internet".
Germany's political opposition said the conservative government risked casting suspicion on all Muslims.
"If we want to isolate extremists who are prone to violence, we must support moderate Muslims and make them feel welcome in Germany," said the centre-left Social Democrats' parliamentary leader, Thomas Oppermann.
The head of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, Aiman Mazyek, said extremists were a tiny minority: "We have over 2,500 mosques and there aren't even a dozen fringe groups." "We have to make it clear they are a small and dwindling group and that by talking about them and hyping them, we just strengthen them," Mazyek told reporters. "That should not be the aim of a conference like this."
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Fat pork chance of THAT happening! Putin was correct when he disposed of the bodies of dead Muslim fanatics in the bodies of pigs! He had the insides of pigs emptied and put the dead body of Muslim terrorist inside. That way the dirty terrorist would NOT go to Heaven to get his 72 virgins!