'European blacklist for hate preachers'

strasbourg - Imams who preach hate messages must come on a European blacklist, says a committee of the European Parliament. EU member states should systematically screen clergy and exchange information about them so that they stay on the radar when they cross the border.

The committee set up last year, which reviews the anti-terrorism policies of the EU and the Member States, makes that recommendation in a report presented in Strasbourg on Thursday. Member States are encouraged to tolerate only variants of Islam that are 'in full compliance with the values ​​of the EU. '

For this there must be many more theological training opportunities in Europe. In addition, a 'network' must be set up for the dissemination of Islamic ideas that are in line with European values. One of the suggestions is to set up a European Islamic Institute that can give advice.

Several perpetrators of attacks in Europe have been indoctrinated by radical Muslim clergy. Many EU countries already keep an eye on 'hate imams', but as soon as they cross the border they sometimes disappear from sight. Information sharing via the European Commission must prevent this.

'We have to close the loopholes for radical preachers, especially across borders in the EU,' says CDA European Parliamentarian Jeroen Lenaers, vice-chairman of the committee. 'This requires, among other things, a European blacklist for radical imams. We must stop being naïve about extremists who undermine the rule of law and reject our society. Member states are still too often dependent on incidental information exchange about this kind of preachers. This is insufficient to counter the spread of radical interpretations of Islam in Europe. '

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