Terror unrelated to Islam, Turkey’s top cleric says

STRASBOURG, France

Terrorism is contrary to Islam’s universal message of peace, Turkey’s head of religious affairs said Sunday.

Mehmet Gormez, president of the Diyanet and Turkey’s most senior cleric, said: “We all know that the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks in Paris, Brussels, Ankara and Istanbul have nothing to do either with Islam, which brought peace and mercy to humanity, or with Muhammad, prophet of compassion, or the Quran.”

Speaking at an event in Strasbourg, France, commemorating the birth week of the Prophet Muhammad, Gormez said Muslims should not suffer because of violence committed by terrorists.

“Do not hang your head because of crimes committed by murder networks, which have nothing to do with Islam or our Prophet,” he said.

Around 8,000 people from across Europe attended the event, including the Turkish Consul General Ozgur Cinar, Ahmet Ogras, vice president of the French Council of the Muslim Faith, and representatives of the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs.