European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 28, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse A Gar Fofi makeshift mosque in Berlin the feeling of being targets of racism has been compounded for moslem in Europe by terrorist acts of islamic fringe groups. A photo Europe s moslem target of hostility by Mort Rosenblum associated pressm any of Western Europe s 7 million moslem struggling or acceptance ear they Are being victimized by rising islamic fanatic terrorism. We condemn this More than anyone said Sheik Abbas Al Home an algerian who is the director of the grand mosque in Paris. We Are the ones who in London Mukarram Ali of the islamic Council of Europe said moslem live peaceably in communities All Over Europe but we have the feeling that there is he said the renewed hijackings bombings and other acts of terrorism Are forcefully rejected by most moslem but threaten to make the situation worse. Moslem Are hard to count in Western Europe in part because Many Are illegal immigrants. Official statistics and islamic leaders estimates suggest 7 million Are permanently settled. At least 2.5 million moslem live in France. Most Are from Algeria Morocco and Tunisia former colonies but also irom the Middle East where France once administered Lebanon and Syria. In West Germany there Are 2 million mostly turks according to most figures. But Ibrahim Gaca Oglu of the Munich based islamic religion Center puts the total nearer 5 million. The 1 5 million moslem in Britain Are largely from Pakistan and Bangladesh but they include such converts As Yusuli islam formerly pop Star cat Stevens. More than a half million moslem live in Belgium and the Netherlands. There Are sizable communities in Greece Norway Italy and Spain. Page 18 the stars and stripes on holy Days 20,000 faithful Jam into the Paris mosque and spill Over onto the tree lined Square outside. The Central mosque in London one of 1,000 in Britain draws equal numbers. Across Europe moslem Are targets of right Wing political movements such As Jean Marie be pen s National front in France which fans fears of alien domination Over Christian societies. During the 1986 legislative Campaign be pen repeatedly warned in French villages the familiar ringing of Church Bells will be drowned out by the Wail of a moslem Call to Sheik Abbas countered in an interview that is nonsense. We do not have a Call to prayer in any French mosque to avoid annoying French in Aries a typical provincial mosque is concealed behind unmarked doors up a Lane Between the place Voltaire and the roman Arena. Its two rooms off the red Cross Headquarters courtyard were donated by the City. On most Days a half dozen out of work algerians gather to Pray and read from a few tattered paperbound korans. We Don t bother anyone and no one bothers us said Giorgio Larbi the director. Larbi acknowledged that some moslem Tell the effects of racism but he did not want to talk about it. With jobs scarce and hostility rising moslem often prefer a Low profile. Parts of Paris Marseille London and Berlin appear transplanted intact from islamic societies. Men who speak arabic and turkish and Wear Robes and beards sell holy scriptures along with spices and teas. But what stands out is a difference in customs not religion said Dja Ouida Jali an algerian specialist in sunday september 28, 1986 religious Law at the Paris mosque. My neighbors Don t even know i am moslem she said. I Don t Wear a veil. I Don t follow weird rituals. I go out. I am Normal. The Only difference is that i Don t drink or in May before the latest wave of terrorism the influential daily be Monde estimated a majority of French moslem Felt they suffered badly from victimization. When a bomb explodes on the champs Elysee is it really the fault of islam asked Ibrahim Ould Ismail new director of the world islamic league in the paper s commentary. Christian moslem conflict began More than a it Lennius ago soon after the Prophet Mohammed revealed the word of Allah. Moors invaded Iberia and were barely driven Back. Christian Kings led crusades to the holy land. More recent colonial wars pitted europeans against moslem but in the last generation moslem from former colonies have migrated in Masse to Europe. Peaceful integration has begun to dissolve prejudices moslem leaders say. But they say old fears Are wakened when air plane hijackers and other terrorists yell jihad holy War As they kill innocent victims. In Britain Community relations specialists say it is hard to differentiate Between anti islamic prejudice and a More general racism against All non while immigrants. Spain recently agreed to Grant citizenship to thousands of moslem living in its North african enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta. Their spokesman Omar Mohammed Dudu was named to direct relations with ethnic minorities the first moslem in such a position in Spain. But he said As soon As the nomination was announced he received threats from Spanish fascists who attacked islam
