Muslim community well integrated in Portugal

A group of Muslims that was preparing violent actions was passing by Portugal, with the objective of recruiting youngers of the national community for the jihad (commonly assigned holy war). The revelation was made yesterday by the sheikh David Munir, during a debate at the Radio Portuguese Club. The group was at Portugal some years ago, but "did not have success, having been rejected by the community", revealed. The feeling of integration in the Country was the main reason aimed for the failure of these actions.

The vice president of the Observatory of Security, Criminality Organized and Terrorism (OSCOT), José Manuel Anes, also present in the debate, said to the DN that, in fact, "there was a group, that was preparing attacks, that passed in national territory some years ago. Occasionally it was formed by individuals of one or two origins, Indo-Pakistanis or from the Magrebe, and that may have passed by England".

The spiritual leader of the Islamic community at Lisbon, David Munir, highlighted in the debate that "it is necessary to try to stop that recruitment. Here, they did not had success, that's why, for them, Portugal is not an ideal and passed for a secondary plan". The question of the integration was an element that contributed for the security: "No Muslim that lives here has interest in destroying part of his/her house. They feel that they are citizens as others", assured Munir.

The recruitment of individuals and subsequent rejection by the community led them to leave the Country", said José Manuel Anes, adding that the group had the intention of developing actions in the territory.

This reaction of the community is, for the two specialists, more a guarantee of that the danger can only come from outside. "The Muslims that came to Portugal or that were born here are happy and trustfull. They will never do or they are going to do any kind of aggressiveness, said the Iman. The only risk "would have to come from the outside, of Morocco, Algeria or even from Spain", adds the professor Anes. The cooperation between service of information of several countries and the absence of alarm signs leads José Manuel Anes to consider that everything is controlled.

In Portugal, the integration of the community distinguishes itself from many countries, despite of it there is still a lot to do do, specially regarding the elevated ignorance that subsists regarding the culture and religion of this community. "When the persons do not know something they fear it", says the vice president of the OSCOT.

The two specialists invite the Portugueses to reflect the fact of a Muslim living in the Europe, or at Portugal, more precisely, will turn him or not European or Portuguese. "The Muslims that live here are as Portuguese as the others, but note itself that still face barriers related with the prejudice and to marginalization", said David Munir.

The approach between communities is espress in the closeness in institutions as the Islamic school of Palmela or to mosque of Lisbon. "In certain countries they don't allow not-Muslim to get inside, because they aren't pure or belivers. Since there's respect, everybody is well coming. There is not anything to hide", refers David Munir. |

Diana Mendes in Diario the noticias May 19th 2008