PARIS, FRANCE

Paris is once again the target of ISIS terrorism, which brutally attacks the law enforcement. We express our pain for the victims and our closeness and solidarity with their relatives, colleagues and friends. Our solidarity then goes to all the French people who have repeatedly been hit by Jihadist violence, aimed at upsetting peaceful coexistence in the country and radicalizing public opinion in the nationalist and xenophobic direction. We will remember the victims of this latest attack and all French citizens.

CAIRO EGYPT

The focus of the world has now moved to Egypt after 43 people were killed and at least another 100 were injured in bomb attacks on two Coptic churches that also included the seat of the Coptic Pope.

This is the latest assault on a religious minority which has become increasingly targeted by Daesh, also known as the so-called Islamic State.

By coincidence European Muslim League President Alfredo Maiolese was in Cairo for an international conference when the attacks in Fanta and Alexandria occurred.

EML President Maiolese, who is a strong leader on matters of interfaith, expressed his horror and sadness at the attacks which he noted happened a week before the Coptic Easter and the scheduled visit of Pope Francis to Egypt later this month.

"It seems that we can not pass a day without some atrocity, somewhere in the world, ripping the heart out of a community. That these particular attacks on the Christian communities in Egypt happened today, Palm Sunday, when millions around the globe are marking this poignant event in their calendar defies belief.

"We at EML are appalled by the cowardly nature of these two attacks on people while in the act of worship. I want our Christian brothers and sisters, where ever they are in the world today, to know that we are standing in solidarity with them and that they are in our thoughts and prayers.

"The vile acts of these cowards will not fragment our friendships or beliefs but will serve to make us stronger together and unite us in our different faiths rather than divide us," he said.

President Maiolese was speaking from Intercontinental Hotel in Cairo where he is attending a conference on International Relations.

The first bombing, in Tanta, a Nile Delta city about 100 km (60 miles) north of Cairo, tore through the inside of St. George Church during its Palm Sunday service, killing at least 27 people and injuring at least 78, according to the Ministry of Health.

 

The second, carried out a few hours later by a suicide bomber in Alexandria, hit Saint Mark's Cathedral, the historic seat of the Coptic Pope, killing 16 people, including three police officers, and injuring 41, added the ministry.

Coptic Pope Tawadros, who had attended mass at Saint Mark's Cathedral, was still in the building at the time of the explosion but was not harmed. he said shortly afterwards: "These acts will not harm the unity and cohesion of the people." 

STOCKHOLM SWEDEN

Once again, another European country is reeling from a terror attack aimed at innocent citizens going about their daily lives.

 This time a hijacked truck crashed into a department store in central Stockholm on Friday and today Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has called for "a day of mourning for Sweden"

 Four people were killed and 15 more were wounded when the hijacked beer trucked was turned into a lethal weapon as it crashed on a busy shopping street.

 Today the European Muslim League joins the people of Sweden in their mourning and grief on yet another tragic occasion designed to strike at the heart of European democracies.

EML President Alfredo Maiolese  and Secretary-General Yvonne Ridley said: "Once again terror has been brought to innocents in another street in another European city. We stand with the Swedish people and echo the sentiments of their Prime Minister who has vowed that terrorism will never undermine Sweden's democracy."

ELBASAN ALBANIA

The representative of European Muslims League in Albania, dr. Rudina Collaku had organized an important symposium.
 Topic
" Brief introduction of the Women Center for Development and Culture - Women as a successful model in the humanitarian, cultural and charitable work .
We thank her and all the collaborators for the brillant result of the meeting.

ST. PIETROBURGO RUSSIA

The European Muslim League today expresses its deepest sympathy and sorrow for the victims of the bomb attack on St Petersburg's metro system as well as to the survivors and their families.

 For people to be cut down so brutally as they go about their everyday lives is nothing short of horrific and is designed to cause terror and instil fear in peoples' lives.

 As we stand in solidarity with the people of St Petersburg we also send out a clear message to those behind this horrific attack: far from spreading chaos you have united everyone in their grief to stand firm against your brand of terror. The courage and resolve of the Russian people has been seriously underestimated if the aim was to spread fear.

Alfredo Maiolese, the President of EML, said today: "People of faith and no faith have come together to share their grief and sorrow over this terrible event. Terror has no religion and I can't think of any faith that could justify the carnage and wanton destruction caused to those travelling between the Sennaya Ploshchad and Tekhnologichesky Institut stations.

"As we send our condolences to the grieving families we also send our prayers to the survivors. Today the right thinking people of the world are united in grief with the Russian people."

LONDON, ENGLAND

London spirit overcomes terror

 The European Muslim League is appalled by the London attack which brought terror and carnage to the heart of Westminster where the mother of parliaments sit.

 Reflecting its truly cosmopolitan nature, the number of those injured on Westminster Bridge as a car ploughed into them included: South Koreans, Germans, Polish, Irish Chinese, Italian, Greeks, Romanians, American, French and Spanish.

 A heroic policeman was stabbed to death in the line of duty as he ran towards the trouble while urging others to run in the opposite direction. Another who died was a woman of Spanish origin who was going to collect her young children from school, it was a journey brought to a sudden and brutal end as she crossed the famous bridge.

 Sadly, within hours of the terrorist atrocity in London, two contrasting images emerged in one of the world's most famous capital cities.

 There were words of hatred spewed by a well known right wing extremist not worthy of naming who was screaming at the TV cameras and anyone who would listen to him that Islam was to blame.

 Another voice was from someone who really knows the pain of loss and terror ... Brendan Cox, husband of the British politician Jo Cox who was murdered last year in a terrorist attack at the hands of a right wing extremist. Mr Cox said the attacker in no way represents Muslims any more than his wife's killer represents people from Yorkshire, referring to the county where she was murdered as she carried out her duties as a Member of Parliament.

 While it is far too premature to play the blame game it is important that acts of terrorism are seen exactly for what they are: heinous crimes carried out by the individuals who plan and perpetrate them. These crimes are not the collective responsibility or blame of anyone else.

 We note that the media has acted with great restraint in its coverage of this particular act of terrorism in which five people are now dead, including the British-born man who carried out the atrocity.

 Whipping up hate against communities of faith through headlines serves no purpose at all other than to create division and this is exactly the goal of those who plan and support these attacks. Ordinary Muslims across Britain and the rest of Europe will be appalled by Wednesday's events.

 Alfredo Maiolese, president of the EML said: "I will be writing to London Mayor Sadiq Khan to express in equal measure our sympathy and admiration to all Londoners in these difficult times but the message today is very clear from all of us around Europe to those out there who want to bring terror to our streets: 'We will never let you win, whoever you are'."

 The EML message today is one of unity because unity is the key to standing up to the terrorists as well as the refusal to let fear change or alter the course of our normal, everyday lives. It is with admiration we look at Londoners today as they put on a united front. People of faith and no faith coming together determined not to let the terrorists interfere with their freedoms and liberties.

 Tonight, as members of one of the most diverse populations in the world come together to stand in unison in London's famous Trafalgar Square for a peace vigil, the European Muslim League is proud to stand alongside them all and salute their courage and determination. Only through hope can we silence hate and let the terrorists know they will never win.

 

 

 

 

ABU DHABI EMIRATES

The President of of European Muslims League Alfredo Maiolese had visited the beatiful mosque of Sheik Zayed in ABU Dhabi.
Many tourists every years visit the Mosque coming from all over the world.