The Islamic world is in turmoil over the burning of the Koran in Sweden. The law is unanimously condemned as “despicable” and “unacceptable”. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has now launched a sweeping attack.
“Eventually we will learn the arrogance in the West that insulting Muslims’ holy places has nothing to do with freedom of expression,” the Turkish leader said on Thursday, according to state news agency Anadolu.
A Koran was set on fire at a demonstration in Stockholm on Wednesday. A man behind police tape set fire to a copy of the Holy Scriptures of Islam. Police had previously approved the protest in front of the Stockholm mosque in the Södermalm district after other similar actions were banned in February.
Courts allowed Quran burning
Swedish courts had ruled that the police had no right to refuse permission to burn the Koran. The organizer is now under investigation for, among other things, incitement to hatred.
It is unclear how the incident will affect Sweden’s application to join NATO. Turkey condemned the move as “despicable” and “unacceptable” on Wednesday. The country has so far refused to agree to join NATO, arguing that Sweden is not acting consistently enough against “terrorists”.
Morocco recalls ambassador to Sweden
The burning of the Quran was met with strong criticism from Arab states. The Arab League issued a statement on Thursday strongly condemning Swedish authorities’ approval of the burning. Sweden should oppose Islamophobic ideas and extremism rather than promote them, it said. In response to the “unacceptable act,” Morocco recalled its ambassador to Sweden for “indefinite consultation,” local news agency MAP reported Thursday.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said: “These hateful and repeated acts cannot be accepted under any justification.” They fueled hatred, exclusion and racism. Muslim-majority Egypt expressed a similar sentiment. The burning of a copy of the Holy Quran by “an extremist” was “a disgraceful act,” Egypt’s foreign ministry said, referring to the Muslim festival of sacrifice that began Wednesday.
US: “disrespectful and offensive”
The US State Department also criticized the Quran burning. “We have always said that burning religious texts is disrespectful and offensive,” said deputy press secretary Vedant Patel. Nevertheless, Sweden must join NATO “as soon as possible”.
In January, right-wing extremist protesters in Stockholm burned a Quran in front of the Turkish embassy, sparking angry reactions in the Islamic world. At that time, the burning of the Koran led to a hardening of Turkish opposition to Sweden’s accession to NATO.
Ankara justifies its earlier blockade of Sweden’s entry into the military alliance primarily on the grounds that the country is a haven for “terrorists”. These are mainly members of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
