European terrorism

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Many writers and politicians in the West claim the vote to ban minarets in Switzerland came as a surprise. It didn't. Anyone who has kept track of the ferocious campaign against Islam and Muslims in Europe over recent years, a campaign that has been fought on official and unofficial levels, by politicians and the media, knew what the result of the vote would be.

This wasn't a vote on minarets in Switzerland but on the status of Islam and Muslims. Switzerland has only four minarets, so there was no issue demanding a vote to begin with, assuming that minarets can be deemed an issue, in Switzerland or any other country.

When the Swiss went to vote they weren't thinking of minarets. They were driven by an abiding hate for Islam and Muslims. This hate is one that politicians and the media have been fomenting for years. As a result Europe now sees all Muslims, including its own, as a menace.

The referendum was a catastrophe and its repercussions are likely to last for years. The vote was a declaration of hatred, a pledge of hostility to Islam and Muslims, and an admission of Europe's belief that Islam is a threat. Worse, it was a declaration that Muslims are no longer wanted in Europe, that from now on they must be on their guard, harried and hunted down.

The frightening thing about the referendum is not just its demeaning content but its horrendous repercussions. Hafid Wardiri, former spokesman for the Islamic Cultural Foundation in Geneva, warned of the consequences of the vote.

"Those who voted for this initiative have voted in principle to keep us on the margins of society. They have voted to give political power to the sponsors of the initiative... Now the latter will be in a position to exploit the fears of ordinary people about Muslims. They will depict all Muslims as saboteurs, terrorists and fanatics."

The referendum gives further momentum to the campaign against Islam and Muslims. Because of it hatred and incitement against Muslims in Europe will no longer be the prerogative of far right fanatics but of the mainstream.

The referendum will boost all of Europe's racist groups, both in politics and the media. Consequently, we will find ourselves attacked by European politicians in a more ferocious way than anything we've seen so far. Under such circumstances we have to expect European Muslims to suffer more indignities than ever before. Attacks against them will rise, further measures will be taken to restrict their freedom, and more surveillance and harassment will take place.

With this referendum European prejudice has turned into outright political terrorism and unless Arab and Muslim countries place the protection of Muslims in Europe at the top of their priorities the latter will face further persecution.