Muslim leaders must take on Islamists fomenting trouble

This month’s march of millions of French citizens in Paris and other cities to honor the victims of the attacks by Islamic extremists attracted more than 40 world leaders, including those from Muslim countries.

Videos and photographs of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Mali’s President Ibrahim Bourbacar Keita and King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan linking arms with European leaders delivered a powerful global message: We are one when it comes to fighting Islamic extremism.

The marches, which drew between 1.2 million and 1.6 million in Paris and about 2.5 million in other cities, according to France’s Interior Ministry, were in response to the killing of 17 people, including staff members of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, and police officers,

The massacres shocked the senses of all freedom-loving people around the world and brought the war being waged globally by Islamists into sharp focus.

The participation of Muslim heads of state in the Paris march was meant to convey the message that they and other like-minded leaders are prepared to stand up to those who harm innocent people in the name of Allah.

Their presence in Paris also indicated that they’re aware of their own vulnerability because of the growing influence of extremists in their countries.

ALLIANCE AGAINST EXTREMISM

Indeed, European foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday called for an alliance against Islamic extremism with the countries of North Africa and other Muslim nations, the New York Times reported.

The Times noted that at least one of the gunmen responsible for the attacks in Paris was trained in Yemen.

“We need an alliance, a dialogue, because we are all facing the same threat,” said Federica Mogherini, the European Union’s foreign affairs chief.

According to the newspaper, the 28-nation European alliance will assign security attaches at its diplomatic missions overseas to increase counterterrorism cooperation both inside Europe and with countries outside the bloc.

Such initiatives are urgently needed given recent bloody assaults by Islamic terrorists, led by members of Islamic State, against those they consider enemies. The attacks in Paris are only the latest in a long series of actions that demand a global response.

In that regard, Muslims in countries that are targets of such religious zealots need to stop cowering in fear and confront the threats to their freedom.

Imagine the message that would be sent if millions of Muslims in countries around the world participated in marches like the one in Paris against the Islamic extremists who are perverting the religion of more than 1.6 billion people.

With such public demonstrations, governments would be emboldened to take the fight to Islamic State, al-Qaida and other such terror organizations.