Bosnian Grand Mufti: Europe has to prove that Islam is a part of Europe by taking Turkey in

May 6, 2008

Comments by Jerry Gordon

The architects of Eurabia are having a field day in Europe this week, given an EU-sponsored Conference of Faith Leaders: Christians, Jews, and Muslims, in Brussels.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has commented that Islam is part of Europe and Turkey should be let in. Tell that to French President Sarkozy, most Frenchmen and EU citizens, who oppose it. This despite the fact that Turkey has been a member of NATO for over 50 years. But then Turkey has changed and become Islamized, so that its more than 72 million citizens, virtually all Muslims, would swamp the demographics of Eurabia.

The Grand Mufti of Bosnia has suggested that Turkey should be admitted because it is in the tradition of Muslim historical involvement in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balkans.

Witness Imam Ceric's rationale in this Turkish Weekly report:

"I agree with the president. Islam is a part of Europe, but unfortunately Turkey is still not admitted as a member. Europe has to prove that Islam is a part of Europe by taking Turkey in. Why is the EU so hesitant and delaying Turkey's accession?" said Ceric.

Ceric stressed that as a Bosnian he learned that tolerance was a sign of strength and intolerance a sign of weakness. He argued that the EU's strength would be tested with Turkey's possible membership. "But Turkey is still not a member. The reason may well be that Bosnia is still not in the EU. So Bosnia first should be a member and then Turkey," he quipped.

In another question on freedom of speech, Ceric strongly criticized the European attitude and stressed that as a survivor of an attempted genocide he was very surprised to see people who still did not understand that Europe needs mutual respect. "Insults to the Prophet Mohammed will not decrease the love and affection of Muslims toward their prophet but will break many hearts all over the world. Europe should learn and respect that we, Muslims in Europe, are not ghosts but hosts."
Asked whether one of the best options for intercultural dialogue would be to hasten the accession process with Turkey, Barroso said accession talks were well underway with Turkey, stressing that Islam was "a part of Europe, not outside of Europe." Citing Muslims' contribution to European civilization from Andalusia, Barroso said the EU did not only have relations with Turkey but Muslim countries like Bosnia and Albania as well.

Given the EU and America's feckless recognition of an independent Kosovo with its Jihad against Orthodox Serbs in the breakaway province, Grand Mufti Ceri's comments are downright taqiyya. The ghosts of Charles Martel and King John Sobieski and Serb dead on the Blackbird battlefield must be spinning like tops in their graves about this talk by EU's elite about patent Dhimmitude to rising Muslim hegemony.

by Turkish Weekly, May 6, 2008

The grand mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina has lambasted the European Union for its hesitant approach vis-à-vis Turkey's possible membership.

Grand Mufti (Reis-Ulema) Mustafa Ceric, speaking at the Conference of Faith Leaders in Brussels organized by the European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, said the EU should show that Islam is a part of Europe by admitting Turkey as a full member.

Regarding the attacks against Muslims in Europe, Mr. Ceric said Europe should respect the concept that Muslims in Europe "are not ghosts but hosts."

The conference with religious leaders to find answers to contemporary problems using religious "capital" comes at an interesting time for Turkey, when the nation is yet again embedded in a fierce debate about the public role of religion.

All three presidents of the EU -- i.e., the presidents of the European Commission, Parliament and the European Council -- participated in the conference with the religious leaders.

The Conference of Faith Leaders convened for the fourth time yesterday, bringing together around 20 high-level representatives of Christianity, Judaism and Islam in Europe.

In a very high profile meeting, in which Barroso, European Parliament President Hans Gert Poettering, the term president and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, commissioners Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Ján Figel as well as European Parliament Vice President Mario Mauro took part, religious leaders exchanged views on climate change and reconciliation. In the meeting, Muslims were represented by Dr. Mohamed Bechari, the president of the National Federation of French Muslims, Imam Abduljalil Sajid, the Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony, Ceric and Ayatollah Abdolhossein Moezi, the director of the Islamic Center in England.

* Ceric: Turkey is the proof

In reacting to Barroso's comment that Islam is a part of Europe, Ceric said the EU now had a good opportunity to showcase Turkey's accession as a sound rebuttal to those who see Islam as non-European. "I agree with the president. Islam is a part of Europe, but unfortunately Turkey is still not admitted as a member. Europe has to prove that Islam is a part of Europe by taking Turkey in. Why is the EU so hesitant and delaying Turkey's accession?" said Ceric.

Ceric stressed that as a Bosnian he learned that tolerance was a sign of strength and intolerance a sign of weakness. He argued that the EU's strength would be tested with Turkey's possible membership. "But Turkey is still not a member. The reason may well be that Bosnia is still not in the EU. So Bosnia first should be a member and then Turkey," he quipped.

In another question on freedom of speech, Ceric strongly criticized the European attitude and stressed that as a survivor of an attempted genocide he was very surprised to see people who still did not understand that Europe needs mutual respect. "Insults to the Prophet Mohammed will not decrease the love and affection of Muslims toward their prophet but will break many hearts all over the world. Europe should learn and respect that we, Muslims in Europe, are not ghosts but hosts."

Asked whether one of the best options for intercultural dialogue would be to hasten the accession process with Turkey, Barroso said accession talks were well underway with Turkey, stressing that Islam was "a part of Europe, not outside of Europe." Citing Muslims' contribution to European civilization from Andalusia, Barroso said the EU did not only have relations with Turkey but Muslim countries like Bosnia and Albania as well.