A CONTROVERSIAL Mus-lim leader in Ireland has warned that arrests in connection with a plot to kill a Swedish artist are “further evidence” of an extremist presence in Ireland.
Sheikh Shaheed Satardien of the Muslim Council of Ireland issued the statement after seven individuals were arrested last week in Cork and Waterford. They were suspected of plotting to kill Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who made a series of drawings depicting the Prophet Muham-mad as having the body of a dog.
Algerian Ali Charafe Damache was subsequently charged with sending a menacing text message, while Abdul-Salam Mansour Al-Jehani from Libya was charged with an immigration-related offence.
The development is “further evidence”, said Satardien, that “there will always be a minority in any community hell-bent on causing trouble for everyone else”.
Four years ago, the South African-born imam made headlines by claiming “fascist fanaticism and radicalism” were spreading among young Muslims in Ireland, and that Islamic leaders were doing little to challenge such ideas.
“There is a small element of extremism within the Muslim community as there is in any group,” read last week’s statement. “Such elements search for ways to be offended and then use such offence to justify their destructive activity.”
It referred to Lars Vilks as having “a documented history of courting controversy” and said Muslims should express their offence “in a lawful manner, consistent with the society in which Muslims live and consistent with the message of peace contained in the Holy Qur’an.”
Any extremists within the community, and their sympathisers, should be “isolated” and are “the real enemies of Islam”, it stated.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland (ICCI) has also reacted to recent developments, saying Muslim values had been degraded “under the guise of freedom of expression”.
Its statement thanked the Irish Government for introducing blasphemy legislation, and called on Muslims to “defend their rights through legal channels and shun all illegal actions”.
Speaking to Metro Éireann, Ali Selim of the centre claimed it had not encountered individuals with extremist attitudes, or those organising such activities.
“If we encountered such a situation, we’d have to make the right decision,” he said, but did not provide further details on what action the ICCI would take.
Selim said the centre hosts cultural and religious activities, often aimed at promoting integration and “moderate attitudes”.
