Sir, – Imam Ibrahim Noonan (Letters, July 27th) suggests that those who self-identify as Muslims and who carry out terrorist atrocities are not to be taken at their word regarding their religious beliefs.
Is it merely then a coincidence of almost unimaginable magnitude that each of these terrorists has come from Muslim communities and has expressed sympathy with an organisation calling itself “Islamic State” which runs its enclaves under sharia law?
The media is careful never to use the term “Muslim terrorists”, as Mr Noonan claims. Such persons are referred to as “Islamists”. He instead accuses the media of endangering Muslims by accurately reporting the background and self-declared sympathies of murderers.
Does Mr Noonan not realise that the biggest threat to Muslims in Europe is from Islamists within their own wider communities, not from the average readers of these apparently Islamophobic media outlets he decries?
Mr Noonan also makes clear his opinion that anyone “living like Europeans – living a western lifestyle, drinking, [going to] nightclubs and [having] girlfriends” cannot be a true Muslim. Are we to understand that an Irish imam has said that Islam and “living like Europeans” are an impossible mix?
Finally, the name of Islam does not signify peace. Its actual meaning is “submission” and it is, however unfortunately for the majority of its adherents, not currently associated with peace, safety or tranquillity in Europe or the Middle East.
– Yours, etc,
GRACE LORD
Hong Kong.
Sir, – Victoria White (Letters, July 29th) chastises The Irish Times for leading the Wednesday edition with the headline: "FBI warns of increased Islamic violence in Europe". To substantiate this criticism, she charges that in our own violent past, "the IRA's violence was [not described] as Roman Catholic".
This was the case because the IRA never demanded, or indeed even wanted, a Roman Catholic state, they wanted a sovereign 32-county republic.
Unless I am very much mistaken, the Islamic terrorists the FBI warn about, want an Islamic caliphate under a rigid sharia system. Therefore, the headline is empirical reporting and more than justified despite Ms White’s effort to blur the boundaries between a national, if misguided effort at reunification, and a barbaric assault on every western value of the contemporary era. – Yours, etc,
KEVIN McCARTHY
Kinsale,
Co Cork.
Sir, – Pope Francis is correct when he says that the current spate of terrorist attacks across Europe and the Middle East are not about religion. Since the time of the crusades religion has been used to justify those who sought power and domination. We saw something similar in Northern Ireland where religion was hijacked by different terrorist groups in their struggle for power.
What we are witnessing in the Middle East is a struggle for power among various terror groups. They are cynically hijacking religion in their efforts to recruit followers.
Many young people, mainly from poor, marginalised communities are being fooled into believing that they are fighting for the survival of their religious beliefs. People all over the world are being manipulated to divide on the basis of their religious belief when, in reality, religion has little to do with what is happening.
The challenge now is for all people of good will, regardless of their religious affiliation, to stand together. – Yours, etc,
PAULA MOLLOY
Baldoyle,
Dublin 13.