Erdogan warns Austria imam crackdown will lead to holy war - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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#14923078
Erdogan warns Austria imam crackdown will lead to holy war

Turkish president says Vienna's decision to shut down mosques, deport religious leaders funded by Turkey necessitates response
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ISTANBUL, Turkey — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday strongly criticized Austria’s move to close mosques and expel Turkish-funded imams, slamming the decision as anti-Islamic and promising a response.

“These measures taken by the Austrian prime minister are, I fear, leading the world toward a war between the cross and the crescent,” Erdogan said in a speech in Istanbul.

The crescent is a symbol associated with Islam.

His comments came the day after the Austrian government announced it could expel up to 60 Turkish-funded imams and their families and would shut down seven mosques as part of a crackdown on “political Islam,” triggering fury in Ankara.

Interior Minister Herbert Kickl of the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), the junior partner in Austria’s coalition government said the move concerned imams with alleged links to the Turkish-Islamic Cultural Associations (ATIB) organisation, a branch of Turkey’s religious affairs agency Diyanet
Kickl added the government suspects them of contravening a ban on foreign funding of religious office holders.

A Turkish presidential spokesman had on Friday described the Austrian move as “a reflection of the anti-Islam, racist and discriminatory populist wave in this country”.

However, other European far-right leaders welcomed the announcement.

Even Austria’s opposition parties were broadly supportive of Friday’s announcement, with the centre-left Social Democrats calling it “the first sensible thing this government’s done.”

But the Green Party pointed out it could serve as a propaganda victory for the Turkish government.

Erdogan, speaking Saturday, said: “They say they’re going to kick our religious men out of Austria. Do you think we will not react if you do such a thing?”

“That means we’re going to have to do something,” he added without elaborating.

Around 360,000 people of Turkish origin live in Austria, including 117,000 Turkish nationals.

Relations between Ankara and Vienna have been strained since a failed coup against Erdogan in 2016 which was followed by a wave of arrests.

Erdogan’s speech comes in the run-up to presidential and legislative elections on June 24 in which he faces stiff opposition.

The Austrian government has banned Turkish officials from holding meetings in the country ahead of the polls.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/erdogan-w ... -holy-war/

Sultan Erdogan threatens Austria for deporting Turkey's political imams.
Wonderful.
The arrogance of that little man knows no bounds.
#14923205
This is a shameful and uncivilized act by Austrian officials. It is just additional proof the EU is one of the most undemocratic entities nowadays.
This is a blatant attack on both freedom of speech and religion!
Erdogan is right, Austria crossed a line! 8)
It is sad seeing all Austrian parties united by xenophobia.
#14923210
Ter wrote:https://www.timesofisrael.com/erdogan-warns-austria-imam-crackdown-will-lead-to-holy-war/ "the Austrian government announced it could expel up to 60 Turkish-funded imams and their families and would shut down seven mosques as part of a crackdown on “political Islam"

Smart Move .

Zam
#14923236
Beren wrote:Turkish immigrants assimilate rather well, it's Erdogan who wants to use them, so Austria expels his 60 stooges and shuts down their mosques.

Assimilation seems to be working better in countries like the UK and Switzerland than Austria and Germany. It's mainly down to the different types of Turkish immigrants they have attracted.
#14923518
Independent_Srpska wrote:This is a shameful and uncivilized act by Austrian officials. It is just additional proof the EU is one of the most undemocratic entities nowadays.
This is a blatant attack on both freedom of speech and religion!
Erdogan is right, Austria crossed a line! 8)
It is sad seeing all Austrian parties united by xenophobia.

If that is a "shameful and uncivilized act by Austrian officials", why then is it an "additional proof the EU is one of the most undemocratic entities nowadays"?
Don't you see that this is close to nonsense?
And of course, if you claim to be https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... rincip.jpg then you must hate Austria even after more than hundred years.
#14923926
Independent_Srpska wrote:However, no hate involved, I am just surprised by the lack of understanding of Austrian leaders towards friendly religious workers :hmm:

Then you are incredibly ignorant. This isn't anything new. It's a situation that has just reached an action point. And it's just the beginning of Austria's actions to remove Turkish agitators. The present government was popularly elected to deal with the situation and it has diligently pursued the steps to legally remove foreign funded influences (surprise!)

So you're surprised at this attitude? Where have you been? Don't be so surprised when you see Austria begin deporting the 50,000 refuges that have been denied asylum.

Don't be so surprised when "Dual Citizenship" Turks (especially those known to have voted in Turkish elections) are deported and their "citizenship" rights are cancelled.

Erdogan knows this is coming even if you don't, what do you think he is so mad about?

Zam :smokin:
#14923959
Completely warranted. religion is one thing, but when you have a foreign country funding it for political reasons, you're treading on dangerous ground.

“Political Islam's parallel societies and radicalising tendencies have no place in our country,” said Mr Kurz, who rose to power last year after his People’s Party formed a coalition with the anti-migrant Freedom Party.

The measures are being carried out under the premise of Austria’s “law on Islam” – legislation introduced in 2015 banning the foreign funding of religious groups.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 89771.html

"Friendly religious workers" on foreign bankrolls there to cause trouble politically.
#14924276
Godstud wrote:Completely warranted. religion is one thing, but when you have a foreign country funding it for political reasons, you're treading on dangerous ground.

“Political Islam's parallel societies and radicalising tendencies have no place in our country,” said Mr Kurz, who rose to power last year after his People’s Party formed a coalition with the anti-migrant Freedom Party.

The measures are being carried out under the premise of Austria’s “law on Islam” – legislation introduced in 2015 banning the foreign funding of religious groups.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 89771.html

"Friendly religious workers" on foreign bankrolls there to cause trouble politically.


You are quite wrong there. Turkey is still an allied country and is well within her rights to support its diaspora with funding for their religious needs. Are you suggesting that we should all remove Israeli funded synagogues? Italian Catholic churches? Greek Orthodox Churches? Hindu yogi centres and Buddhist temples? Or are you going to go down the road that this should only apply to Muslims and more specifically Turkish Muslims? :eh:

Countries do that only when they declare war to someone or against terrorists. This is an extremely provocative action.
#14924280
Independent_Srpska wrote:Maybe he's angry because Austrians started to behave like him and didn't pay royalties? Copyright is something not to be trifled with! 8)

A distinct possibility … :lol:

Zam
#14924373
I suspect erdogan funded religious imams have a political purpose to be used to influence the country. Ditto with Israel.

Others I don’t know but the difference with Islam is scale and foreigness. The Israeli influence is to try and create pro Israel feeling. Everyone knows that.

People suspect the Islamic one is about controlling the loyalty of millions of European based Muslims. To subvert or to undermine?

It may be paranoia of course and just maybe the paranoia could become a self fulfilling prophecy. Would political Islam have grown so much in recent years without the war on terror? Was it not in fact in decline?

It’s a thin line to tread but as a pragmatic liberal I have to be hypocritical sometimes. You can only import so many ultra conservatives and give them so much freedom before your country is not liberal anymore.
#14924390
Foreign funding of reactionary ideologies must not be tolerated. There's no reason to exempt religions.

Independent_Srpska wrote:This is a shameful and uncivilized act by Austrian officials. It is just additional proof the EU is one of the most undemocratic entities nowadays.


Undemocratic :lol:. I'm sure most Austrians agree with this decision.
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