(11 Jan 1995) English/French/Nat
Islamic leaders from across France have denounced Muslim extremists.
They hope it will improve the strained relations between the French and Muslims living in France after four Algerians hijacked an Air France flight and killed three passengers.
Wednesday is the third anniversary of the cancelled elections in Algeria, which led to an upsurge in violence by Muslim extremists.
More than 30-thousand Algerians have died since then.
With more than four million Muslims living in France, Islam is the nation's second-largest religion after Roman Catholicism.
The Islamic leaders living want to reduce the distrust felt by many French. Often they say, Islam is mistaken for Algerian terrorism.
According to the Imams, most Muslims try and distance themselves from the extremists.
SOUNDBITE French:
"You know, you speak of FIS for Islam, indeed all the extremists wherever they come from hurt their own and hurt those around them".
SUPER CAPTION:
Imam Rabah Khelif, Mosque of Lyons
A charter denouncing the extremists was presented to Interior Minister Charles Pasqua, who has sought close ties with moderate Islamic leaders while overseeing a crackdown on fundamentalists suspected of supporting the insurgency in Algeria.
Many French Algerians accuse the Interior Minister of being racist and unfair over his treatment of Islamic issues.
But the Imam of the Paris Mosque, thanked Pasqua for suggesting the charter without dictating its wording.
SOUNDBITE French:
"There will be from now on an Islamic religion that will not only be tolerated but accepted".
SUPER CAPTION:
Charles Pasqua, Interior Minister
The Imam of the Mosque in Paris, Dalil Boubakeur, sees the charter as the beginning of a new relationship.
SOUNDBITE:
"We hope that it will be the beginning of a good future for the Muslim people of France- according to the Republic laws and French customs and in good relationship with French society. Inshallah".
SUPER CAPTION:
Dr. Dalil Boubakeur, Imam of Mosque of Paris
Some Algerians living in France fear the problems stem from the fact that there may never be democracy in Algeria, which leads to people turn to fundamentalism.
SOUNDBITE French:
"Islamic terrorism was enriched by innocent people, who joined them for lack of anything better to do. And to protect themselves from the terrorism of the state".
SUPER CAPTION:
Ahmed Raoudgia, Algerian Sociologist
The charter also outlines the history of Islam in France, its basic
principles, its organization and its relations with the state.
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