The Spanish city of Almeria hosted a conference on “the threats of terrorism in Europe and Islamophobia” on Monday, 16 October 2017, with the attendance of politicians, academics and associative actors. The meeting was organized by the Environment and Education Association (AMAE) in partnership with the Council of the Moroccan Community living Abroad (CCME) and the Center for Studies on Migration& Intercultural Relations (CEMRI).
Mr. Abdellah Boussouf, Secretary General of the CCME, said in his speech that Morocco was ready to cooperate with Spain in its fight against radicalism and terrorism on every level, essentially the training of imams in the Mohammed VI Institute of Rabat.
The Secretary General of the CCME, also said, according to the Spanish news agency EFE, that the security and stability of Spain are part of the security of Morocco, calling Spain to be cautious and not to be lured by Islamophobia and fear of the foreigner, as Morocco cannot be a menace for Spain.
For his part, Mr José Manuel Cervera, head of the Spanish Foundation “Three Cultures”, said that it was senseless to blame Islam because of terrorist acts, since most victims of terrorism labeled “dijhadists” are Muslims, adding that the lack of concrete answers engenders appalling reactions of the society.
Mr Hassan Belarbi, in charge of the Environment and Education Association (AMAE), focused his speech on the worry of the Muslim communities in Europe in general and Spain in particular as a result of terrorist attacks and the rise of Islamophobia.
Mr Andrés Garcia Lorca, the Spanish government’s delegate to Almeria, said that Islam and terrorism are antipodal concepts and that terrorism has neither a country of origin nor a religion of but must be analyzed as a global issue. The Spanish official underlined that Almeria hosts 119 nationalities of which 87,000 Muslims live together.
CCME (with the Spanish Press Agency EFE)
