Iman Chairman addresses conference on extremism in EU Parliament
Saturday, 24 September 2011
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Ribal Al-Assad, the Chairman of the Iman Foundation this week attended a conference in the European Parliament, which warned that current measures to tackle religious extremism are insufficient. The 'Murder in the Name of God' conference highlighted and debated the growing menace of religious tolerance and extremism across the world and was hosted by Dr Charles Tannock MEP in partnership with the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
Speakers included Dr Charles Tannock MEP, Dr John Bew (Co-Director, International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, Kings College, London), Ms Sofia Lemmetyinen (EU Liason Officer for Christian Solidarity Worldwide) and Mr Rafiq Hayat (National President Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK).
Speaking at the conference, Ribal said:
"I am delighted to be here today to support the Ahmadiyya community. We must challenge religious intolerance and extremism. Iman is campaigning to say no to extremism and sectarianism across the world. We are exposing the preachers of hate and violence by providing evidence of their sermons on satellite TV stations and the internet to EU politicians and governments. One such example is the sermons of Sheikh Saleh al-Luhaidan, Chief Justice of Saudi Arabia's Supreme Judicial Council, in which he calls for jihad against a Muslim minority sect and 'infidels'.
"Saudi Arabia is an ally of the EU but we would like them to address such issues. His Majesty King Abdullah has led tremendous interfaith initiatives and we would like him to personally intervene in the fight against those who advocate murder in the name of religion."
