SPEAKING TO FRENCH MUSLIM LEADERS ABOUT TERRORIST

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 004919 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2015 TAGS: KPAO PREL PTER KISL FR SUBJECT: SPEAKING TO FRENCH MUSLIM LEADERS ABOUT TERRORIST ACTS REF: A. STATE 121758 ¶B. 07/11/05 MILLER-HURLEY EMAIL Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Post maintains an active dialogue with leaders in the French Muslim community. During the past year, Poloffs have met with the leadership of the three main organizations within the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM),which was established in 2003 as the main interlocutor of the GOF with the practicing Muslim community. Last October, as in previous years, the Ambassador hosted an Iftar dinner during Ramadan. Emboffs have visited mosques and interacted with both religious and secular Muslims on a variety of issues. Members of the Muslim community are regularly included in roundtable discussions and nominated to participate in exchange programs. ¶2. (C) As per reftel A, we have spoken with a number of key Muslim leaders regarding terrorism, many in the aftermath of the attacks in London. All have vehemently denounced terrorism in general and the acts perpetrated in London in particular. Specific public statements and press releases of Muslim groups from throughout the country have been sent to EUR/PPD (reftel B) in English and the original French, when possible. The statements will soon be available on our classified SIPRNet site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm ¶3. (U) The following are among the highlights of the French Muslim response to the London attacks: -- Dr. Dalil Boubakeur, Rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris and President of the CFCM, stated, "The CFCM condemns this extremely serious criminal act, which spread death and desolation and cannot in any way claim to represent the values of Islam." -- Fouad Alaoui, Secretary General of the Union of Islamic Organizations in France (UOIF) and Vice-President of the CFCM, wrote to the British Ambassador in France expressing his "firmest condemnations of these odious and inhuman acts." In a press release, Alaoui announced, "On this painful occasion, the UOIF expresses its total condemnation of these acts that targeted innocent human lives." -- A press release from the National Federation of France's Muslims (FNMF) declared, "We learned with great shock and sadness of the attacks that cruelly struck the people of London. We are, and will always be, dismayed by the loss of innocent lives. We deplore and condemn such acts of terror." STAPLETON