by Nina Achmatova

Vice president of the Council of Muftis and Spiritual Administration of Muslims in Russia: there is no justification for these attacks; terrorist organizations want to create conflicts between Muslims. The Patriarch of Moscow says extremism must also be fought on a cultural level.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The two major organizations of Muslims in Russia - the spiritual administration of Muslims (Dum) and the Council of Muftis of Russia (SMR) – have invited civil society to join in the fight against terrorism, a threat that has become a global in nature. "These conflicts are dangerous because they can last for decades, so today all the positive forces in civil society must unite to fight this phenomenon," said the vice president of both organizations, Rushan Abbiasov.

Both Dum and SMR "reiterate their stand against all forms of extremism and terrorism." "Today we see that this phenomenon is becoming global, representing a danger for the whole world," added Abbiasov, who wanted to emphasize that the terrorist organizations responsible for attacks do not represent Islam "under any circumstances".

According to Tass news agency, he said that such structures were established "for the struggle against Islam, against Muslims,  to create conflicts within Islam and cause inter-religious wars ".

"There is no justification for terrorism that affects people of different nationalities, religion and social status", denounced the Russian Mufti, inviting families to educate young people in the right way and the same Muslim leaders to spread the right knowledge of Islam including through online and through social media.

The Paris attacks that left 129 people dead and were claimed by the Islamic State have provoked a wave of solidarity in Russia, that not even two weeks earlier mourned the death of its citizens in an air disaster, most likely a result of an attack. An airliner with 224 people on board, all Russian citizens, exploded in flight after taking off from Sharm el Sheik, crashing into Sinai without leaving any survivors.

The Patriarch of Moscow Kirill has urged action against terrorism at a cultural level. "The fight against terrorism cannot only be military - said the Orthodox primate, as reported by Interfax – it cannot only involve the special services, but also ordinary people must overcome this horrible misfortune of our time through education, culture and perhaps , the most important thing, prayer and the growth of faith".

• Russia
• FRANCE
• IS
• terrorism
• religion
• attacks
• victims