France fears increased polarization after Charlie Hebdo attack - dw.de

France's deadliest terrorist attack in decades has fueled rhetoric of a clash between Europe and Islam. As the nation's Muslims brace for retaliation, they stress that they're no less French than the rest of the country.

At midday Thursday, the head of Paris' main mosque stood in its courtyard among a group of leaders of several faiths. As the clock struck noon, the men observed a moment of silence for the victims of the previous day's deadly attack on the offices of French satire magazine Charlie Hebdo. Each man stressed the previous day's act does not represent Islam.

"It's a blow to all Muslims," said Dalil Boubakeur, the Grand Mosque's rector who is also the president of the French Council of the Muslim Faith. "We cannot let these perpetrators - who cannot claim to be true Muslims - represent us or create these new levels of confrontation. We only want to live in peace."
Muslim leaders across France, and the rest of Europe, have been eager to condemn the attack on Charlie Hebdo and distance themselves from extremists, amid fear of reprisals by radical right-wing followers.

France is home to Europe's largest Muslim population, with more than 5 million out of a population of about 65 million. But fears of creeping "Islamization" are growing, as are fears that the country could become polarized as right-wing politicians seek to blame the ongoing economic crisis gripping France on minority groups such as Muslims.

The attacks play into the hands of the French far right who fail to distinguish between moderate Muslims and extremists.

One interpretation of the recent shooting is that it is an attempt by Islamist terrorists to draw out anti-Muslim sentiment to further divide the country into pro and anti-Muslim groups. Some commentators argue this will draw moderate secular Muslims into the fight.   Read More  at French Muslims