– PRESS RELEASE – THE MUSLIM COUNCIL OF SRI LANKA

The un-Islamic act of killing innocents in Paris last Friday once again proves that IS (ISIS) is a non-Islamic terror group that is determined on tarnishing the image of Islam and Muslims around the world. Islam is a religion of mercy and tolerance that totally prohibits the taking of innocent lives. Islam forbids the killing of innocent civilians even during times of war. There is no theological basis for any crime to be committed through terrorism or violence in the name of Islam.

The MCSL on behalf of the Muslim community in Sri Lanka vehemently condemns this act of terror, which has no place in Islam or in any civilized society.

The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka is dismayed at the carnage that the IS has been unleashing on Muslims and non-Muslims in Syria, Iraq, and other Arab nations.  Now, with this massive attack in Paris, they have expanded their wonton killing to the Western world that has left 127 dead, hundreds injured and at least 80 in critical condition. A day prior to the Paris attack, suicide bombings in Beirut left 43 dead and 239 wounded. A terrorist, who survived, admitted that an ISIS cell sent to Lebanon, from the group’s stronghold in Syria, carried out the attack. This group of extremists who call themselves the Caliphate or Islamic State (Formerly known as ISIS) is a threat to the world and Islam. The group violates Sharia law, which is not different to internationally recognized humanitarian law. The international community should act with caution as the IS may have targeted France in order to provoke retaliatory attacks on innocent Muslims in the Middle East or halt the intake of Muslim refugees fleeing IS atrocities and escaping to safer countries. This could also provoke retaliatory attacks on Muslims living as minorities in different parts of the world.

The Muslims of Sri Lanka join Islamic leaders around the world in condemning, without any reservation, this act of terror and the IS and its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi for failing to respect the key tenets of Islam. Their actions are un-Islamic and inhumane.

The perpetrators need to be sought for justice to take its course.  The international community needs to work together in eliminating the scourge of IS and all such other terror groups which create turmoil in the world.

N M Ameen

President.