BBC: France 'to expel radical imams'

BBC ^ | Friday, 15 July, 2005, 22:39 GMT 23:39 UK | staff

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

France 'to expel radical imams'

Sarkozy said preaching incitement would not be tolerated

French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has vowed to deport any Muslim cleric preaching violence.

Speaking after meeting his Spanish counterpart in Madrid, Mr Sarkozy said he would seek the expulsion of imams in France "whose sermons are radical".

Mr Sarkozy said France and Spain had agreed tougher joint measures against Islamic militancy.

Two days ago, France reimposed border controls with its EU neighbours following the London bombings.

Call for unity

After meeting Spanish Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso, Mr Sarkozy told reporters radical preaching would no longer be tolerated in France.

We must never allow ourselves to give them the satisfaction of a division between us Nicolas Sarkozy French interior minister

"The [French] republic is not a weak regime and it does not have to accept speech which on the pretext that it is happening in a place of worship calls for hate and murder.

"Those who persist in this way will systematically be the object of an expulsion procedure."

Over the past decade France has expelled several foreign-born Muslim preachers after accusing them of abusing their positions by inciting violence.

The minister said Western countries must unite in the fight against al-Qaeda.

"I know of only one policy against these people - firmness, arresting them, punishing them, penalising them, in Madrid, London, New York, everywhere.

"We must never allow ourselves to give them the satisfaction of a division between us," he said.

Mr Sarkozy said he and Mr Alonso had agreed to strengthen co-operation in the fight against Islamic militancy.

France has stepped up security measures in the light of the London bombings, including restoring border controls with its EU neighbours.

On Thursday, French President Jacques Chirac warned that no country was immune from terrorist attacks.

"These terrorists have a mentality, a psychological state that is different from our own. All efforts must be made to fight against terrorism," he said.

[FormerACLUmember]

Hope for France ... amazing. The French Government actually has a correct position.

This comes under "a blind squirrel occasionally finds an acorn" category.

[You Dirty Rats]

But when it comes to their self interest and internal security, they're a hell of a lot tougher than we are.

I wouldn't say they are tougher, but I would say they are more ruthless. When France make a decision on a matter involving security or mational interest, they just don't care about agreements they've signed with other nations or what anyone else thinks. There's something to be said for that.

Meanwhile, the British are allowing a radical islamic cleric into their country. Go figure.

[oldbrowser]

Two days ago, France reimposed border controls with its EU neighbors following the London bombings.

I imagine their spooks are hearing increased chatter.

[Czar]

"Yes indeed, imagine the flack Bush would get from the left if he even hinted to implement this?"

The PC-induced paralytic fog in which our Washington crap-weasels operate will prevent this from ever happening.

[aquila48]

Yes, I like "ruthless" better - and they don't have any ACLU to block them at every turn.

[dr_who_2]

Yep, any decade now...

[pointsal]

call me when they are boarding the boat

[rattrap]

The sarcasm's funny and all but who are the ones doing it and who are the ones whose president can't open his mouth without "religion of peace" falling out of it?

[dirtbiker]

This would not have happened if we weren't pursuing 'empire.'

America has never, ever, pursued "empire"...

Pat said terrorism is like a cancer

He's right there, even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then...and like a cancer, it must be removed...

because of the war in Iraq, which I don't believe had anything to do with terrorism originally

Perhaps you and Pat should read page 62 of the 9/11 Commission report.....

Now you have insurgents you call terrorists because they don't want us there.

Partially true. Most of the insurgents are not Iraqi, and THEY don't want us there, because if WE succeed in bringing democracy to Iraq (which is smack-dab, right in the middle of islamoland), they will soon be come like the dinosaurs, EXTINCT!

3,500 Americans paid with their lives on 9/11, for doing nothing more than showing up for work. I for one don't give a rat's a$$ if the rest of the world likes us or not, I WANT them to FEAR US! No nation on this earth has ever sued for peace from a position of weakness. Whether you like it or not, Bush has one thing right: it's payback time. These radical islamist cannot be bribed, bought, or even reasoned with; they must be destroyed. NO nation will know peace from terrorism until then...

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

And may I as a Follower of Jesus Christ utter a religious statement relative to the words of dirtbiker........AMEN!

[Fruitbat]

This will happen until whomever they intend to expel refuses to go. Then the "white flags" come out.

"I'll believe it when I see it" alert.

[GOPJ]

call me when they are boarding the boat

One "boat ping" coming up...

[followerofchrist]

We are pursuing empire, not that we want to colonize, but we want to control their economics.

[followerofchrist]

Is that an insult or compliment? I am too happy to differentiate. I told told one grinch/naysayer tonight that I have had a really, really good day, after many bad days. Nothing can offend me tonight. I LOVE you.

So God Bless you and have a great day tomorrow. My designer kitty and I will pray that you all have a really great day tomorrow. And I do wish that for you, regardless of whether you compliment or insult me, Christian brother.

May the Lord shine on you as He has on me, always.

[followerofchrist]

Dirtbiker: I respect your opinion, and only wish you would temper it with Christian kindness. Remember, Jesus wants ALL, not just those who fit into the republican party mold.
He is the only solution to this, and he told us so. How far we have strayed, in looking for people to hate rather than people to win for Him. I have no sympathy for people who murder innocent civilians, but my heart can't reject a billion Muslims and I can't dismiss them all as terrorist sympathizers.


God bless and goodnight.

[chuckles]

....."They should just simply disappear.".....

Now your talking! J. Edgar Hoover(back in my day) used to just erase the bastids. Kennedy did away with heads of state for goodness sake! This isn't rocket science.

I thought one way to start would be to listen to the sermons and if they get off color, charge them with sedition. If my preacher can't mention that he's going to vote Republican, then they shouldn't be able to preach overthrow of the gubmint. My preacher just said that he wouldn't vote for anyone that would allow abortion and sodomy, and several people complained that he was suporting the Republican party from the pulpit.I can just see my preacher saying we need to behead people and blow up our children for God! What a load of crap!

[lmr]

I not only condone expulsion... was secretly hoping that the CIA or some other intelligence agency would plan hits on these people, especially inside Saudi Arabia.

[dirtbiker]

I have no sympathy for people who murder innocent civilians, but my heart can't reject a billion Muslims and I can't dismiss them all as terrorist sympathizers.

Neither do I, nor do I believe that all Muslims are terrorist. However, almost all terrorist are Muslims, and the terrorist are losing ground and losing face with the (for lack of a better word) "real" Muslims. I believe that most Muslims want to be part of the 21st century, and actually be part of the "world community", and not some antiquated 7th century cult. There is a small minority that perpetrates the terrorism, (just like outlaw bikers) and they are making ALL Muslims look bad. Sooner or later, the zealots will be eliminated (and they need to be), not only by our hand, but by their Muslims "brothers".

May God bless you as he has blessed us all.

[dirtbiker]

That shoud read: "May God bless you as He has blessed us all." Coffee hasn't kicked in yet....

[ncountylee]

We need to begin preparing detention camps now. Inner-city crime ravanged areas in the blue states would be ideal.