Ex-premier Massimo D'Alema on
Thursday called for a moderate, integrated European Islam to
combat the rise of Islamic radicalism in European cities.
"A significant part of the Muslim world in Europe is not
integrated," he said.
"Which means that (Islamist) terrorism is surrounded by an
area, if not of solidarity, of non-hostility".
"I would like these people to feel they are full-blown
European citizens," D'Alema continued. "It would be preferable
if they could build their mosques the same way churches are
built, that is, with public funds. Italy has a 0.8% (tax
program) for the Catholic church, but there are 1.5 million
Muslims who are not recognized and with whom we don't have an
understanding".
A European Islam "could be more open and modern than the
fundamentalist kind that comes from some countries of origin,"
the center-left Democratic Party (PD) politician said.
His comments sparked immediate reactions from rightwingers.
"Is he nuts??" tweeted anti-immigrant Northern League
leader Matteo Salvini.
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