Toulouse Shootings: Growing Fears of Revenge Acts Against Muslims in France

Growing fear of revenge acts in France against Muslim community in general, and Algerian nationals in particular, has been felt in the European country on the wake of the Toulouse shootings, suspected of being perpetrated by the killed Mohamed Merah, a 23-year-old Frenchman of Algerian descent.In a phone conversation with Assia Chalabi of Echorouk, the rector of the Great Mosque of Paris, Dalil Boubker has called Mohamed Merah’s father “to think twice before stating anything that may incite potential avenging acts against Muslim community in France.” The religious official specified that the members of the Muslim community in France fear to endure revenge acts by radical Jewish, adding that “We fear that developments of the issue of the shootings to lead to bad reactions on mosques and Muslims in general.”Meanwhile, human rights activist Anouar Malek said the Toulouse shootings may fuel radicalism and racism in France, noting that Toulouse has already witnessed profanation of Muslim tombs. “Well, Algerian nationals, at least, don’t believe this contradictory story. Some say Mohamed Merah was a recidivist, others say he was a drug addict..I’d like also to refer to the woman witness who told police that the shooter was tattooed, though Mohamed Merah had no tattoos. Even the bootlegs sent to al-Jazzera office in Paris do not show the face of the killer, and therefore could not be considered as reliable evidence that asserts that Merah was the one who perpetrated Toulouse shootings!” However, Anouar Malek said he fears to see the gap widening between Arab migrants and French, adding: “I personally have already seen racist glances against Muslims wearing beards and veiled women, here France.”