Muslims in France worry about rising bias in wake of Toulouse shootings

Although the Toulouse scooter-riding shootings ended with the al-Qaeda-inspired gunman being killed, to Muslims in France, the episode of serial shootings is not ending.

They fear the tragic event will beef up paranoia and concerns over Islam in the country, where Muslim minority and security represent hot topics several weeks before the presidential elections.

Mohamed Merah was suspected of killing three national paratroops from ethnic minorities and four Jewish in the last two weeks in the southern cities of Toulouse and Montauban.

The suspected gunman was killed Thursday when he tried to shoot his way out of his apartment following a 32-hour police siege in Toulouse.

Asma, a veiled student in economics, voiced concerns over increasing racism and intolerance towards Muslims.

"Merah died but he revived Islamophobia. Unfortunately, Muslims are pointed by the finger to be behind any wrongdoing and Islam becomes the hot topic in the political dispute," the 24-year-old Algerian student who refused to give her full name, told Xinhua.

Asma called for new thinking to find out what motivated Merah to choose radicalization.

"It`s better to seek for the real causes of such event than using Islam by default. I wish that the French can put aside prejudice and really respect the Republic principles of freedom, fraternity and equality," she added.

A recent study of national statistics bureau INSEE showed 229,000 non-European immigrants aged 15 or above living in mainland France are unemployed, with a jobless rate of 23.1 percent.

The young self-styled Islamist`s crimes triggered anger mainly from the far rightists, who claimed the killings are evidence that France has "dangerously underestimated the threat of Islamic fundamentalism."

Heading the anti-immigration National Front party, Marine Le Pen said France should wage a war against radical political and religious groups.

Denouncing "a terrorist attack" based on "racism motivation," incumbent French president and right-wing UMP party candidate Nicolas Sarkozy said, "France will not tolerate ideological indoctrination on its soil."

But the country should not be tempted by revenge, he said.

Sarkozy announced a crackdown on people following extremist websites. These measures awakened memories of 2007 presidential runoff when his attitude towards security and Muslim minority helped him take power by winning over far-right voters.

To Amine Rayhani, a telecom engineer, immigrants and Islam have been major topics of election campaigns and candidates from different parties would fuel feelings of insecurity and Islamophobia just to book a ticket for the Elysee Palace.

"What`s happened in Toulouse in that period would shift the focus to Muslims and their eventual risks on the secular state to collect votes, ignoring that such behaviour could divide people and fuel racism," the Tunisian immigrant said.

France, Europe`s largest Islamic community with some 5 million Muslims, has already banned Muslim headscarves and other religious symbols from schools.

"No one, whether it`s Christian, Muslim or Jewish, accepts that innocent people were killed. It`s a cruel act which is denied by Islam that prevents the killing of women, old people and kids," said Khalid Abbassi.

"Muslims are not all extremists. Wearing Jellabah (long dress) or veil or being bearded don`t mean being terrorist. So I hope that we continue leaving in peace, tolerance and with full respect of others despite their religion after what happened in Toulouse," added the 29-year-old owner of a fast-food shop. 

Source: ANTARA