Terrorists grown in our midst

(ANSA) - Siracusa, August 9 - So-called Islamist terrorists have grown up in our midst and it is the task of all religions to fight against the divisive walls that some would raise, the imam of Catania said Tuesday.
    "Some are trying to portray what is going on as a clash between civilizations," said Kheit Abdelhafid, who is also the president of the Islamic Communities of Sicily. "But the terrorists have grown up in our midst...they are often marginalized youth who don't find a place in society, becoming easy prey for those wanting to drag them into a spiral of violence".
    "It our job and the task of each one of us to change society," Abdelhafid said. "As a man of faith, a Muslim, the sacred text tells me I must engage in dialogue... It is not the first time religions have been used for such dirty ends. It is the task of men of faith to fight against and bring down these walls, that some are trying to build within our society".
    The imam spoke at an event involving 120 youths from 17 Italian regions called Siracusa Summer Campus.
    Asked if he thought a society without walls is possible, the imam said "I am trustful. The clash is the end, it is destruction. Exchange is life, the future".
    "The situation in Italy is better than in other countries, but it varies from region to region," he added.
    "Sicily today is a model: it is the place in which the way of dialogue is taking root. Sicily, placed at the center of the Mediterranean, is a bridge between two cultures - a garden between two worlds". Asked what he thought of Pope Francis, the imam said "the world is fortunate to have such a pope. I often quote him. He is a man who goes against the current. The most important thing (is to find) the right words that reach people's hearts".