‘Xenophobia in Europe changed into Islamophobia’

By Mesut Zeyrek

COLOGNE, Germany

The head of the Turkish parliament’s Human Rights Committee said on Thursday that xenophobia in Europe has transformed into Islamophobia.

“The xenophobia, Turkophobia in Europe in the past has changed shape and shifted into Islamophobia today,” Omer Serdar told reporters in the German city of Cologne, during his visit to Turkish non-governmental groups in the city.

Serdar blamed the “so-called Muslim” terror organization for the rising Islamophobia in Europe, decrying Islamophobia as a “threat to world peace”.

As for a solution, Serdar said: “We think that especially the governments and the administrations here should address this problem seriously and solemnly.”

“Politicians, in particular, should act quite responsibly in what they say,” he added.

Ihsan Oner, head of the Union of Turkish-Islamic Cultural Associations in Europe, also told reporters that Muslims are alienated in European society due to their beliefs and identities.