Don't fall into trap of religious war

(ANSA) - Rome, August 3 - We must not fall into the trap of a religious war fomented by fanatics, the head of the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI) said Wednesday. "Let us not fall into the trap...laid by fanatics with the intent to provoke and justify a clash of civilizations," said Monsignor Nunzio Galantino. "(Muslim communities) have clearly and unanimously raised their voices to condemns the violence that was perpetrated, declaring their solidarity with the victims and their loved ones, and their extraneousness to ways of thinking that are so contrary to their faith," he continued.
    "They did so through their gesture of participating in Sunday Mass alongside Catholics, which was so eloquent and admirable".
    Italy's Islamic Religious Community (COREIS) said last week it would send delegates to churches and parishes across Italy on Sunday, July 31, "to bear witness to spiritual brotherhood" after a July 26 attack in which two knife-wielding French nationals entered a church in the town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen during Mass, took 84-year-old Father Jacques Hamel hostage along with four other people, and slit the priest's throat before being killed by security forces.
    They did so in the name of Islam, and the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) extremist group has hailed the attack.
    Italy's Muslim community heeded the call of the French Institute for Advanced Islamic Studies (IHEI), which also sent delegates to French churches last Sunday.