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| Europe |
| France May Expel Islamic Extremists |
| 2003-04-16 |
| EFL Worried by the growth of Islamic fundamentalism in France, the country's interior minister has threatened to expel any foreign Muslim religious leader who disseminates extremist propaganda. That would be all of them. Nicolas Sarkozy issued the warning after the unexpectedly strong showing of a Muslim fundamentalist party in weekend elections for a new council to represent France's various Islamic factions. The Union of Islamic Organizations of France — inspired by Egypt's banned fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood — won 19 of the council's 58 seats. The moderate, Algerian-backed Mosque of Paris, which was considered a favorite, won just 15 seats. It's the "Vote for us or die!" platform the extremists run on that makes them so attractive to voters. "We want to say very simply: imams who propagate views that run counter to French values will be expelled," Sarkozy told Europe-1 radio on Tuesday. Sarkozy, who was instrumental in creating the council, said he was determined to curb the influence of extremism on one of Europe's largest Muslim communities. He said he would not allow the council to be used as a vehicle for spreading extremist views, notably sharia, or Islamic law. "Islamic law will be applied nowhere because it is not the law of the (French) Republic," he said. That's the first thing the extremists want to change. Unlike Roman Catholicism or Judaism, Islam has no hierarchical structure in France and, therefore, no leadership that can directly communicate concerns or grievances to the government. The lack of structure has forced thousands of Muslims around France to practice their faith in makeshift underground prayer rooms simply because there are not enough mosques. "If fundamentalism or extremism has spread so much, it is because we condoned an Islam of cellars and garages," Sarkozy said. Part of the council's purpose is to oversee the building of more mosques and encourage foreign imams to learn French. Oh yeah, that'll stop it. But Sarkozy also made clear the government will keep a close watch on the new council's activities and expects it to abide by French law. "It is precisely because we recognize the right of Islam to sit at the table of the (French) Republic that we will not accept any misconduct," he said. "Ali, if you want to sit at the table, quit kicking your brother. And put that knife down, you'll poke your sister's eye out!" |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #6 I thought I was too. Sorry if I offended you, I didn't mean to do that. Maybe I just need to get some sleep. |
| Posted by: Baba Yaga 2003-04-16 21:41:55 |
| #5 Baba Yaga---I was just being humorous and sarcastic. Chiraq knows he is in trouble, but he has neither the brains nor the character to admit it, so he will keep playing the game, like a mediocre chess player against a master, even though everyone knows that it is checkmate in a few more moves. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-04-16 19:48:08 |
| #4 Alaska Paul (a/k/a Papa Pasha....my Cyrillic font doesn't work either, drat) -- Why would Chiraq call about advice from us silly cowboys? It is so simplisme. Surrender now, and maybe the women can wear mini-burqas (they get to show their ankles, the flirts!). |
| Posted by: Baba Yaga 2003-04-16 18:49:09 |
#3 He needs some advice and counsel on how to deal with his 5th column before it consumes him France is the 5th column. Chiraq is only trying to find a way to get back in Bush's good graces so that he can infiltrate and tear down the US from the inside. Scum sucker. |
| Posted by: Celissa 2003-04-16 16:30:31 |
| #2 Alaska Paul: I think Chirac should be talking to the Pope, not George Bush. Instead of condemning the US for Iraq, the John Paul II should be looking at the menace in his own backyard. The Vatican is too busy fighting the last (cold) war. I know from some rather unorthodox sources that the Church is still expending a lot of resources smuggling funds and materials into Cuba and China. The Jesuits need to be in Sarcelles instead. If neither the Catholics or the evangelicals can muster the will to work toward the conversion of the Muslim lumpen in Europe, then they are utterly spent as a force. Brutus: Interesting point about the Saudi money. Are there French readers here who know if any structural/legal barriers prevent the construction of mosques in France? Sarkozy's remarks seem to imply the same. My gut feeling is that the Saudi money has been there all along and that it has been funnelled underground (no pun intended) due to some French de jure or de facto prohibition. The French seem to have decided that it is better to have the money in the open rather than flowing though illicit channels. As you point out, they still lose. |
| Posted by: 11A5S 2003-04-16 13:59:17 |
| #1 The French are in a lot of trouble. They are fast approaching the tipping point for rapid cultural change-over. The Muslims do not have to be anywhere near a majority to cause this. Past examples of this phenomena are the Indo-European invasions, the Germanic infiltration of Gaul in the 300s, and of course the Arab invasions of the 600 and 700's. Contrary to popular imagination, none of these events involved massive hordes, only culturally dynamic minorities. France fits the profile well: a birthrate well below the replacement level, widespread pacifism, a descredited and corrupt ruling elite that the populace has no will to overthrow. They really only have two options left: surrender or genocide. (I consider mass deportations to be genocide; historically, mortality is in the 10-15% range during such tragedies). |
| Posted by: 11A5S 2003-04-16 12:20:55 |