BERLIN
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned against a "general suspicion" of Muslims after the massacre of 12 people at the Paris offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
Merkel's comments came in an address to parliament on Thursday as Germany continues to witness an increase in suspicion and negative perceptions towards Muslims as far-right and right-wing populist parties seek to benefit from a growing fear of Islam and Muslims.
Merkel said: "A general suspicion against Muslims (and) exclusion of Muslims must be ruled out."
"The vast majority of Muslims in Germany are citizens who respect the rule of law and the constitution."
"We guarantee that the faith of Islam can be freely exercised within the framework of our constitution and related laws," Merkel added.
'Sick logic'
She said the attacks in France had, in essence, targeted democracy, freedom and peaceful co-existence.
"The majority of citizens will not allow the sick logic of these terrorists to divide our societies among Christians, Muslims, Jews or non-believers," she said.
Using a well-known quote from the former German President Christian Wulff, the Chancellor said she shared the view that, like Judaism, Islam also belongs to Germany.
But she added Muslim religious leaders should step in to address the suspicions of many non-Muslims following the attacks.
She said: "People are asking me whether one can still share this view when murderers are referring to Islam for their murders which should have nothing to do with Islam."
"I think that these are legitimate questions. I think it is important for religious leaders to clarify these questions. And I also believe that this is an urgent need," she said.
Growing prejudice
Merkel called on Muslim religious leaders to clearly distance themselves from those who commit violent attacks in the name of religion.
Germany has the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe, after France.
Among the four million Muslims in the country, three million are of Turkish origin.
A recent study by the Bertelsmann Foundation has revealed that Germans have become more intolerant towards Islam in recent years and developed a prejudiced opinion of Muslim immigrants.
A total of 57 percent of Germany’s non-Muslims said in a representative poll in Nov. 2014 that they perceived Islam as a threat - a rise of four percent since 2012.
Bleak prospects
Critics argue that German government and media have blown the threat of terrorism out of proportion, creating a false and negative image of Muslims and immigrants in Germany.
German security organizations estimate that about 550 Germans, mostly young immigrants from Salafist groups, have travelled to Syria and joined ISIL since the beginning of the civil war.
About 6,000 Salafists are active in Germany, according to the Interior Ministry – a number which accounts for a very small minority of the Muslim population.
Germany’s leading Muslim organizations say the source of the radicalization of some young immigrants is not Islam itself, but sociological problems they face, such as discrimination, unemployment or a lack of future prospects.
