GERMAN MUSLIMS DENOUNCE PARIS ATTACK AS ABUSE OF THE RELIGION OF PEACE

Berlin, 21 Rabiul Awwal 1436/12 January 2015 (MINA) – German Muslims have sharply condemned Wednesday’s attack at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris, Deutsche Welle reported.

About a dozen German Muslim organizations met in Cologne to sign a joint declaration against terrorism, sharply condemning the attack on the offices of the French satirical magazine that left 12 people dead.

Secretary General of the Ditib Turkish Islam Union, Bekir Alboga, called the tragedy “an attack on everyone’s freedom” and “an abuse of the religion of peace,” The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Nurhan Soykan, secretary general of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, told DW she fears the Paris bloodbath could fan the flames of the PEGIDA and far-right protests. But she also aware that there are people in society who stand up for the Muslims.

Soykan emphasized that it wasn’t just the leaders of the Muslim organizations in Germany that denounced the attack: even tiny communities have supported the calls for solemn vigils, voicing their own condemnation of the attack. She said the society must be strengthened against extremism. (T/P011/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)