Posted on 11/08/2004 11:21:26 AM PST by knighthawk
PARIS (Reuters) - France has rejected a U.S.-based Jewish group's call for legal action against one of the country's largest Muslim organisations that it says is anti-Semitic and is linked to the militant Islamist group Hamas.
Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin said Paris had proved it was tough on Islamic radicals by questioning about 100 so far this year and expelling 17 of them.
But he declined to follow up a call by the Simon Wiesenthal Centre to probe links between the Union of French Islamic Organisations (UOIF) and pro-Palestinian groups it says collect money for Hamas and to replace the UOIF leadership.
"We must avoid stigmatising anyone or jumping to conclusions," he told Europe 1 radio on Sunday. "It's clear the state is being tough, but it's not its role to jump to conclusions."
The UOIF denied it was anti-Jewish.
The Wiesenthal Centre's Paris office urged the government two weeks ago to launch a probe "leading to the dismantling and possible condemnation of this organisation's current leadership and its replacement by more moderate voices of French Islam".
Its director Shimon Samuels said the UOIF was "a radical political organisation" linked to the Muslim Brotherhood spiritual guide Sheikh Youssef al-Qaradawi, who has issued fatwas (religious decrees) supporting suicide bombers.
The Centre also linked the UOIF to a pro-Hamas group banned in the United States.
Samuels also provided texts from a forum on the UOIF Web site which he said documented anti-Semitic views it condoned.
UOIF Secretary General Fouad Alaoui accused the Centre of wanting to block the integration of Muslims into French society.
"I defy anyone to prove the UOIF has anti-Semitic positions," said Alaoui, whose group -- popular with disaffected Muslim youths in France -- is said to be close to the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood.
He said he would welcome a probe because it would show "that there are people here in France who don't want Islam to be established legally or Muslims to be seen as full citizens."
Ping
Muslim group probe.
I'm shocked.
I think they should let the Muslims go ahead and probe themselves in a group or otherwise. (What a headline!)
"I think they should let the Muslims go ahead and probe themselves in a group or otherwise."
I think that's why they're so violent. They've been probing each other for so long they long for the fantasy of 72 virgins. But when a female blows herself up, does she get 72 virgin little boys? One at a time? Or all at once?
'Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin said Paris had proved it was tough on Islamic radicals by questioning about 100 so far this year and expelling 17 of them. '
ROFL OOOh, that'll show 'em.
It was the Jewish groups own fault. Had they told the French that the Muslims were wearing head scarves in school the French would have been all over it. The French only develop spine (of a sorts) when it comes to a fashion statement.
I'd say Hamas just transferred $10 mill to Chiracs Swiss account.
Shocked about what? I frankly can't make sense of it one way or another, though I doubt the French are tough at all with Islamic militant extremists.
A Muslim group probe? Are goats involved in any way?
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