French interior minister sees 'urgent' need to avoid religious conflict with Muslims

August 30, 2016

French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve is hoping to enlist Muslim leaders in a campaign to reject Islamic extremism, as part of a larger strategy to avoid religious conflicts.

"Francis is at war with terrorists, at war with an enemy trying to divide it and pit the French against each other," Cazeneuve said after a meeting with Muslim leaders. "We must not fall into this mortal trap."

The French government minister said that cooperation between Islamic and secular leaders is "urgent and particularly necessary" in order to quash the notion that secular France is at odds with Islam. 

 

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Further information:

• “France is at war with terrorists, at war with an enemy trying to divide it and pit the French against each other, fracture the nation’s body, sap the republic,” he said. “We must not fall into this mortal trap.”