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THU SEP 13 2001 03:09 P.M.
G.M.T.
French Muslim community braces for backlash after US attacks by Jocelyne Zablit
PARIS, Sept 13 (AFP) - Leaders of France's five-million strong Islamic community said Thursday they feared the terrorist attacks in the United States would lead to a backlash against Muslims. "A strong suspicion weighs on the Muslim religion even though there is no proof of any link with the attacks," said Dalil Boubakeur, rector of the Paris Mosque. "Our fear is that Muslims will be made scapegoats or considered a suspect community in the aftermath of these attacks. "Already, a lot of media have been quick to point the finger at the Muslim community." Boubakeur said he and other French Muslim leaders met Thursday with Interior Minister Daniel Vaillant to express their concerns in the wake of the horrific attacks. "We shared with him our fears and he told us that French authorities were aware of the possible repercussions against the Muslim community," he said. Vaillant's office said the minister had pledged during the meeting that the government would do its utmost to prevent the attacks and Islam being lumped together. "We will not allow an amalgam to be made between Islam -- which is part of French society -- and violent Islamist attacks," said the minister, who has also met with members of France's Jewish community. Boubakeur said even if those responsible for the carnage in New York, Washington and Pittsburgh proved to be Muslim "we reject the idea that they could have acted in the name of Islam." Alain Billon, an advisor on Islam at the interior ministry, said the Muslim community in France was increasingly feeling overwhelmed and helpless in the face of this week's tragic events. "The situation is not comparable with what happened 10 years ago during the Gulf War but it is similar in some ways," Billon said. "Nonetheless, the Muslim community knows that (French) public opinion makes a distinction between Islam as a religion and Islamists." Boubakeur said security had not been boosted at Muslim institutions in the aftermath of the attacks and no incidents had been reported. "We've had the usual hate mail and phone calls that you would expect but nothing more than that," he said. He said Friday's prayer services in the contry's mosques would be largely devoted to the tragedies in the United States. "We will underline our condemnation of these attacks and stress that our religion is against such acts which are against Islam," he said. Boubakeur on Thursday was also to attend a memorial service at the American Church in Paris for the victims of the attacks. French President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Lionel Jospin were to also attend the service. Copyright (c) 2001, AFP |
