Kurz says: “I expect an end to the wrongly understood tolerance … in all European countries.” He also says that “political Islam” endangers “our freedom” and the “European model of life.”
At the same time, however, he says there is only “one culprit” who is guilty of the jihad terror attack in Vienna. Now that is an obvious point, so why does it even need to be said? Because Kurz is signaling to the Muslim community that he will not engage in what Islamic groups around the world falsely claim is “collective punishment,” that is, counterterror measures designed to prevent future jihad terror attacks.
Kurz adds that this is “not a conflict between Christians and Muslims, or between Austrians and migrants,” but between “civilization and barbarity.” He is assuming in this that many, if not most, of the Muslims and migrants in Austria will side with him against the jihad terrorists and those who think murder is an appropriate response to a cartoon. There will undoubtedly be some, but given the fact that we have seen massive Muslim demonstrations around the world against the cartoons and no Muslim demonstrations in favor of the freedom of speech, Kurz may be unpleasantly surprised at how few Muslims agree with him that this is a conflict between civilization and barbarity, or who agree with him that he represents the civilized side.
“‘End to misunderstood tolerance’: Austria’s Kurz doubles down on vow to fight ‘political Islam’ following Vienna attack,” RT, November 3, 2020:
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has said he expects Europe to abandon what he called “misunderstood tolerance” in the wake of a terrorist attack in Vienna while calling for an EU-wide effort to combat “political Islam.”
“I expect an end to the wrongly understood tolerance … in all European countries,” Kurz told Germany’s Die Welt newspaper, adding that the ideology of “political Islam” endangers “our freedom” as well as the very “European model of life.”
The chancellor maintained that the issue is grave enough to require a Europe-wide response, adding that he already raised this topic in phone calls with many European leaders and also plans to make a fight against “political Islam” an issue on the agenda at the upcoming EU summits.
Speaking to the Austrian media, Kurz also called a decision to release the Vienna attacker on parole “definitely wrong.” Earlier, the nation’s Interior Minister Karl Nehammer admitted that the Islamist radical that killed four people and injured 23 more in Vienna on Monday “tricked” a de-radicalization program overseen by the Justice Ministry.
The perpetrator was earlier sentenced to 22 months in prison in April 2019 over swearing allegiance to Islamic State (IS, former ISIS) and attempting to join terrorists in Syria. Yet, he was released just some eight months later since he was no longer considered a threat.
“Had he not been released from prison, a terrorist attack like this could not have happened,” Kurz admitted. Still, the chancellor also maintained that there is only “one culprit”“guilty” of this “barbaric, cowardly Islamist terrorist attack” and that is the assailant himself.
In the wake of the Monday shooting, Kurz apparently sought to ease any potential tensions by saying it was “not a conflict between Christians and Muslims, or between Austrians and migrants” but between “civilization and barbarity.”…