Baghdad (AsiaNews) - The Paris massacre, which claimed 16 innocent lives and led to the deaths of the three Islamic attackers, is a heinous crime that the "Chaldean Patriarchate strongly condemns". At the same time, "we call on our Muslim brothers to take the initiative from the inside to dismantle this terrorist extremist ideology," said Mar Raphael Louis Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean Church, in a message sent to AsiaNews.
In his statement, the patriarch says, "The Chaldean Patriarchate strongly condemns the heinous crimes that took place in France in these days, and expresses its solidarity and its proximity to the French people and the affected families."
For Mar Sako, "In front of what is happening in the Arab region and abroad, which is unprecedented and threatens relations and co-existence, we call on our Muslim brothers to take the initiative from the inside to dismantle this terrorist extremist ideology, and build an open and enlightened Islamic opinion that doesn't accept the political exploitation of religion."
Hence, he believes that "There is a future for us as human beings only by living together in peace, harmony and cooperation as we were before the advent of the radical streams that uses violence. We have to afford our historical and moral responsibility in spreading the culture of recognition of the other, acceptance and respect him based on the principle" that "There is no compulsion in religion" and "through honest dialogue, wisdom, clear vision, and intact religious upbringing."