Wow, Muslims are distancing themselves from even you losers who try to
rationalize the actions of the Chechen/Arab children killers here, now.
A good sign.

From European Muslims, it is a welcome change. Only that kind of facing
reality, stopping the silence by Muslim moderate which the killers take
as tacit support, can really do it.

Maybe you will have to flush yourself soon or you will find yourself
alone to face everyone, hey Bunk. At any rae it will at least stop you
from trying to justify the school massacre.

But back to the article, in the broader sense, this has been a request
of the administration for a long time; if it works, it could thwart
violence.

J.

Dr. Blunt a écrit:

European Muslims seek trust as 9/11 date nears
Fri 3 September, 2004 13:52
By Philip Pullella

ROME (Reuters) - Europe's Muslims, under the microscope as

in Iraq kidnap and kill Western hostages, are trying to distance
themselves from violence to show that good citizenship can go hand in

with Islam.

From Marseille to Milan, from Berlin to Birmingham, Muslims are using
advertisements, manifestos and booklets to show Islam's moderate and
patriotic face as the third anniversary of the September 11 attacks
approaches.

Attention has also focused on Spain's Muslims since 191 people died in
train attacks in Madrid on March 11 perpetrated by a group of mainly
Moroccan extremists.

The mobilisation of moderate Muslims, which began in France after the
kidnapping of two French journalists in Iraq, has spread to Italy,

and Germany -- the other European countries with large Muslim

"Isolate Fanatics to Achieve a More Just and Safer Country" was the

of a manifesto published in one of Italy's leading newspapers this

and signed by some 30 Italian Muslims.

Each of the six points of the manifesto began with the preamble "We,

Muslim women and men of Italy". It was signed by local luminaries such

Mario Scialoja, Italy director of the World Muslim League and Mahmoud
Ibrahim Sheweita, imam of Rome's mosque, Italy's largest.

Significantly, it was also signed by ordinary Muslims, such as Imane
Fouganni, an office worker in the northern city of Cremona whose

goal is to become an Italian policewoman.

The inclusion of "Muslims next door" seemed to be sending a message to
overwhelmingly Catholic Italy, where there are about 1 million

"You can trust me. I'm Italian like you."

The manifesto of about 1,000 words says Italy's Muslims are "firm and
united against terrorism," and oppose those who "exploit an extremist

deviant interpretation of Islam ... which has sparked an aggressive

terror against the entire world and humanity's common civilisation."

It says Muslims have "total respect" for Italian law and will be

against the use of mosques as "places for indoctrination and

of aspiring suicide bombers."

PATRIOTIC POCKET GUIDE

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), the country's leading moderate

pressure group, plans to publish a pocket guide later this month

"Know Your Rights and Responsibilities".

It will urge Britain's some 2 million Muslims to be vigilant in the

of the terror threat facing the UK and to report suspected violent
militants to the police, according to MCB spokesman Inayat Bunglawala.

In France, the abduction of two French journalists by the Islamic army

Iraq turned into a defining moment for the country's 5 million-strong
Muslim community, Europe's largest.

The militants' demand that France revoke its recent ban on Muslim
headscarves in state schools had all the elements needed for serious
tension between Paris and its Muslims.

Instead, the fractious French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) spoke

in one voice to denounce the kidnappers and reject their bid to

the headscarf issue.

"We are a community that is completely French," said CFCM

Mohamed Bechari, one of the three French Muslims who flew to Baghdad

seek the journalists' release.

DISMAYED AT VIOLENCE

Leaders of Germany's some 3.3 million Muslims have also tried to

the community from extremism.

"Of course we are dismayed at so much terror and violence, and it goes
without saying that a religion whose name means peace is against all
violent acts," said Ali Kizilkaya, Chairman of the Islam Council of
Germany.

"These people who claim to be acting in the name of Islam damage the
religion itself and Muslims, and therefore we must condemn their acts

of course distance ourselves from them. When governments fight terror

is in the interest of all."

Spain is home to around half a million Moroccans, the country's

Muslim group, Moroccan groups estimate.

Since the train attacks different Islamic groups have called for more
effort from the Socialist government to integrate them within Spanish
society.

Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso has talked of a new law to keep

eye on Imams, or Muslim spiritual leaders, and the message they give

the faithful attending the mosques.

Although some Muslim associations have responded by calling for debate

the subject, others accused the government of trying to control the
religious messages given by imams, and since then no further progress
appears to have been made.