Pakistan

Militants seek attacks on France over full veil ban

France's ban on the Muslim full face veil has triggered calls on militant online forums for armed retaliation.

Reuters April 14, 2011

LONDON: France's ban on the Muslim full face veil has triggered calls on militant online forums for armed retaliation against the country, a US-based terrorism monitoring service said on Wednesday.

Some contributors to the messages seen on the password-protected, invitation-only militant chatrooms this week called on al Qaeda's North Africa arm to "deter" France by staging armed attacks, the SITE service said.

The anonymous threats, presented by the sites as comments by individuals, carry none of the weight of published audio or video statements by Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda or similar established armed groups seeking to attack Western targets.

But Western security officials are concerned that sermons, discussions and videos published on online forums and social networking sites are increasingly used by militants to encourage sympathisers to attempt attacks.

Individuals radicalised online or via email have carried out a handful of attacks in United States and Britain since 2009.

"Sarkozy, leave our sisters alone or we will truly be obligated to act on our words," wrote one participant with the online identity of "Jabeen of Abdullah Azzam", writing on the Arabic-language Shumukh al-Islam forum, SITE reported.

"Declare a war against crusader France!" wrote "al-katebat al-khdra" (the green battalion) on Shumukh al-Islam. "France with such action brought destruction and woes on itself."

France's ban on full face veils, a first in Europe, went into force on Monday, making anyone wearing the Muslim niqab or burqa in public liable to a fine of 150 euros or lessons in French citizenship.

The law has provoked a limited backlash in France where a strict separation of church and state is seen as central to maintaining a peaceful civil society. But it has been widely criticised by Muslims abroad as harming their religious freedom.

Unlike most of the ban's Muslim critics, the online militants favour a violent response to the law.

Participant "Abuhamza" called on al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb to attack France, which he said was positioning itself as a larger enemy of Islam than the United States.

Shumukh forum members posting in an April 12, 2011 discussion called on bin Laden to carry out attacks in France and proposed the creation of a fund to plan and execute attacks against France and French interests, SITE said.

Unlike Britain and Spain, France has never been attacked by al Qaeda at home, despite being a NATO member that took part in the invasion of Afghanistan and still having troops there.

In a statement in October 2010, bin Laden condemned the ban on full-face Islamic veils passed by French constitutional authorities earlier that month and said France deserved to be attacked for "injustices" against Muslims.

COMMENTS (25)

Yousaf Hyat | 13 years ago | Reply I think the veil is not Islamic but Arabian in origin..Does the Quran say cover your face or does it say be modest..?

maynotmatter | 13 years ago | Reply So it is unjust and intolerance to ban women from wearing burqa and is it fair for muslim nations to ban women what they want to wear and force them to wear a burqa? There is intolerance shown towards women in either case. Don't just ban French for intolerance, I guess muslim nations by far are intolerant about many many things. The list is endless. Read the article itself. Muslims are so "violently" intolerant that they would kill people to drive their point. Talk about being civilized. Now you know why world hates Islam. Not that Islam by itself is bad, but people like these they defame it. It is duty of every muslim to save Islam from such radicals and show the world that Islam is not about violance. Where is the so called message of peace when you guys act like this ?

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hassan | 13 years ago | Reply @James: Yes, the picture above is sort of .....I have no words to describe !!!

Rémy Verlyck | 13 years ago | Reply @che: Only if we accept it. I don't. I think this ban on the burqa is totally unnecessary, self defeating and harmful. However, I believe that the reaction of the rest of the muslim world is disproportionate. A society has the right to say "the norm here is to have your face visible". The niqqab and the burqa aren't coranic prescriptions, but a wahhabi tradition. So as I said, unnecessary and triggering too much passion... I really don't think anyone here in France understands how much it affects Muslim abroad (Muslims here don't really care) and any attack againt French interests would only deter understanding...

James | 13 years ago | Reply Well,you guys notice...What a horrific picture above?

Tony Singh | 13 years ago | Reply @QB: The french do not allow any religious symbol, be it Turban in case of Sikhs,Cross in case of Christianity or Burka is case of women who follow Islam. The Sikhs who were born there but were not happy with the Law left France. What stops these women who are uncomfortable with Burka from leaving. French describe their secularism as "no importance to any religion" as opposed to "Equal importance to all religions". In nutshell, the french lawmakers debated on the issue, weighed the pros and cons and then put the proposed bill to vote. It was passed by their Parliament. Its like if a person converts to Christianity in any Muslim country, can he or she eat Pork? That is also a personal choice, isn't it? The positive point in this Law is it makes religion truly personal. Your personal dialogue with GOD. And that is what it should be.

Adil | 13 years ago | Reply @ Tony Singh... Muslims are not going there... A considerable number of France population is Muslims. They are the citizens of France and deserves equal rights of liberty and religious freedom as any other citizens. ... Terry Jones of America burns Quraan, and they said that this is a individual freedom and liberty, Similarly muslim woman wearing veils in france should be let to exercise there religious freedom and terry Jones did in America.

Sarah | 13 years ago | Reply Where are these militants who ask for attacking france. If they were men they would have come out and said. Sadly these islamic militants are not men and hence believe in hiding behind veils like women and delivering veiled threats. The fact is that if they try and be men, then they lose their potency to issue such threats because they are very well aware that the french will take them out without a breath!

Alert | 13 years ago | Reply Yet to see any outrage against the Taliban, as against the French ban on the burkha. This would not even be a debate if muslims avoided France. But no, muslims want to enjoy the welfare of the same liberal and secular socities they discard as Un-Islamic. Muslims want to have it both ways, beg for aid and then, bite the same hand. Civilized migrants from civilized countries (like Japan, philippines, China) gratefully observe the laws and practices of the civilized socirty they migrate to. Muslims, on the other hand, start at a mosque, again permitted by the democratic and western societies, in complete contrast to muslim societies that do not tolerate ANY other religion, imposing their Islamic practices and Sharia law, with a clear but a hidden goal to bring down the very civilized society that grants them democratic rights, if you see the irony.

Ajay | 13 years ago | Reply @QB: To add to what you are saying- if this French law is unjust and Muslims should highlight this injustnes in civil ways, how about also highlighting in civil ways the denial of Hindu private schools in KSA to even mention the names of their Gods in their text books, of not allowing the freedom to pray to deities and forces of nature in public!!

Ajay | 13 years ago | Reply @Shafqat Ali Khan: I disagree. France is within rights to ban what it thinks does not agree with its culture. No same person in western world cares about religion. Freedom is what is important. Freedom to express. And 2nd important thing is to presrve one's culture and way of life. Veils are a rude aberration as are beards and roiad side prayers. If Hindus or Buddishsts started praying in the streets or started wearing dhotis, France would be within rights to violtae those also if it happens on a large enough scale. So France is not exhibiting extremism nor did Mr. Terry Jones. Mr. Jones was an exception and he had been denounced. The extremism was exhibited by Muslims world wide who kept quite when innocents were beheaded and killed, their churches desrtoyed. So what the world saw was nothing but intolerance from the Muslims.

Cautious | 13 years ago | Reply Good example of the difference between extreme Western Value and extreme Muslim value. The extremist in the West put in a law which dictates dress code - penalty for violating 150 euros. Muslim extremist doesn't like the law - blow something up.

QB | 13 years ago | Reply @ Tony Singh: Here's some food for thought for you. It helps to be a little rational. "Don't go to France"??? Will that be your answer to a muslim who was born and raised there? or a French person who converts to Islam should leave the country because she can't follow her faith? If KSA is wrong than is that a role model for France?

Tim | 13 years ago | Reply Let them spew venom for france......... who in france cares a damn about pakistan..... Pakistan is running door to door to get special trade concessions from EU where france a huge party...... And as far as terrorism is concerned........ what muslims think is they would keep terrorising the civilized world and would not be retaliated........... Muslims of this generation hasn't seen the evangelist christianity........... Don't provoke people in the west or muslims will have no place to run on earth....

Arijit Sharma | 13 years ago | Reply @QB: "France is a non-muslim country. Muslims should show that we are better people. This law is unjust and should be fought with civility." MUSLIMS ARE NOT BETTER PEOPLE. A Muslim is as good or as bad as the next human being. If you believe in this Muslim better than other myth, you are setting yourself up for exclusion by others.

Arijit Sharma | 13 years ago | Reply @che: "are not we heading towards the clash of civilization?" Not civilizations really, but of religions - Christianity and Islam.

Ashutosh | 13 years ago | Reply @Saad Bin Shahid: @Shafqat Ali Khan: Similarly, women from different cultures should have the liberty to dress as she pleases …. Even in an Islamic country. . Most Islamic countries not only impose barbaric punishments for so called indecent dressing but most men in such country gets some sort of right to eve tease them. And is subject of entertainment for fellow country-men and the local police. France is a democratic country (at least), let them decide what is good for them and their citizens. If someone needs to improve and get civilized than it is the most of the Islamic nations of the world. . It is important to get rid of out-dated and barbaric rituals and adopt the modern concepts of humanity, democracy and social justice. . This burka is surely one of them. Even if a lady wants to cover her face, the modern law should prevent them doing it. Here I will like to mention the “Sati-Pratha” was prevalent in some mart of India. Though it was based on religious believes and tradition, the Indian government made stringent law and got rid of it (well almost). This happened despite some women insisting that they are doing it with their own free will.

Tony Singh | 13 years ago | Reply @Saad Bin Shahid: Don't like the French law? Don't go there. They are not inviting Muslims to their land.Heck a woman cannot drive a car in KSA. Now how's that for food for thought? Keep blaming west for everything. Time to stop this hypocrisy dear.

QB | 13 years ago | Reply Well France's law is oppressive, but what sense is in calling for attacks on France? Can't muslims fight a war of civilization and culture? I am sure there is nothing more pure and true than the spirit of Islam. Why can't we impress people with our manners, spirituality, education and progress. The Prophet (pbuh) did not order sahaba to fight off people in Makkah in the early stages. That would have only repelled the people away. France is a non-muslim country. Muslims should show that we are better people. This law is unjust and should be fought with civility.

Ron(Indian) | 13 years ago | Reply Guys just cool down. French has different civilization than ours. In today's they have full right to protect their country from terrorist attack. Women can cover body except their face. This is acceptable thing. remember french are not as extremist as Arabs. Arabs don't have democracy. They do not allow churches forget the rest of things. Millitants just need reason to attack. Thanks.

Musthaq Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply @Saad Bin Shahid: It is not about choice. It is all about human progress , a larger idea opaque to medieval people.

Saad Bin Shahid | 13 years ago | Reply If women CHOOSES to wear a burka and their government says they can't, It's just as oppressive as if they were forced to wear one.

Shafqat Ali Khan | 13 years ago | Reply France Ban on Muslims full face veil is in fact interference in religious liberties and also attack on one,s civil liberties. It shows that its not just Muslims having some extremist rather in USA and France, one could find such an extremist groups which are provoking that kind of extremism among society. In USA, Terry Jones is a good example of extremism. France recent step is also depicting their mind set.

che | 13 years ago | Reply are not we heading towards the clash of civilization?

MS | 13 years ago | Reply NO difference between Al-Qaida and Americans/France..they all are extremist and have no tolerance for eachother. The victims are the innocents who just want to live and let live.

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