European Council President Charles Michel said today he was in favor of setting up a European Institute for the Training of Imams after paying tribute to the victims of last week’s Islamist attack in Vienna.
“It is very important that we show determination in this. “I think that level we should have discussions at European about the idea that was mentioned a long time ago, that is, setting up a European Institute for the Training of Imams,” he told reporters.
To fight the Ideology of Hatred, we need to setup as soon as possible a European Institute to train imams in Europe.
Online messages glorifying terrorism must be quickly removed. There must be no impunity for terrorists and those praising them on internet. pic.twitter.com/O6E1dn13Um
— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) November 9, 2020
We must “ensure that this message of tolerance, of openness, can be spread at European level […], ensure that the supremacy of civil law is accepted,” continued the former Belgian prime minister.
Charles Michel made the remarks alongside Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurtz video conference on the “European response to terrorism” organised by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Charles Michel, who traveled to Vienna to demonstrate “European friendship,” had previously been to the site of the jihadist attack, where Viennese lit hundreds of candles to pay tribute to the four people killed by Kujtim Fejzullai just a week ago.
“We consider this terrorist threat to be a fundamental, serious threat to the values on which the European project is based and we do not intend to show weakness, laxity,” insisted the European Council President.
He also discussed with Chancellor Kurtz the issue of fighters who wanted to join the jihadist ranks and among them those who have returned, such as the perpetrator of the Vienna attack.
“It is important to have common strategies to ensure that these people are monitored, the deradicalization process is not simple,” said Charles Michel.
Source: ANA-MPA