POPE
Francis said
it was wrong to identify Islam with terrorism and that social injustice
and idolatry of money were among the prime causes of terrorism.
PUBLISHED:
03:47, Tue, Aug 2, 2016 | UPDATED: 07:28, Tue, Aug 2, 2016
Speaking aboard the
plane taking him back to Rome after a five-day trip to Poland, he said:
“I think it is not right
to identify Islam with terrorism".
“It is not right and it is not
true.”
Francis
was responding
to a question about the killing on July 26 of an 85-year-old Roman
Catholic priest by knife-wielding attackers who burst into a church
service in western France, forced the priest to his knees and slit his
throat.
The attack was claimed
by ISIS.
He said: “I
think that in nearly all religions there is always a small
fundamentalist group."
He then added:
“We have them,” referring to Catholicism.
The Pope continued:
“I don’t like to talk about Islamic violence because every day when I
look at the papers I see violence here in Italy - someone killing his girlfriend,
someone killing his
mother-in-law. These are baptised Catholics.
“If I
speak of Islamic violence, I
have to speak of Catholic violence. Not all Muslims are violent."
He said there
were various causes of terrorism.
The Pope said:
“I know it dangerous to say this but terrorism
grows when there is no other option and when money is made
and it, instead of the person, is put at the centre of the world
economy.
“That
is the first form of terrorism. That
is a basic terrorism against all humanity. Let’s talk
about that."
When he started the trip
last week, Francis
said the killing of the priest and a string of string of
other attacks were proof the “world is at war”
but that it was not caused by religion.
He told reporters
on the plane that lack of
economic opportunities for young people in Europe was also to blame for
terrorism.
He said:
“I ask myself how many young people that we Europeans have left devoid
of ideals, who do not have work. Then they turn to drugs and alcohol or
enlist in ISIS."