France 'to expel radical imams'

BBC reported French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has vowed to deport any Muslim cleric preaching violence.

Fantastic idea. Now let us do it here, and encourage the rest of Europe to do it also.

Speaking after meeting his Spanish counterpart in Madrid, Mr Sarkozy said he would seek the expulsion of imams in France "whose sermons are radical". Mr Sarkozy said France and Spain had agreed tougher joint measures against Islamic militancy. Two days ago, France reimposed border controls with its EU neighbours following the London bombings.

That is a good idea. Once Europe has purged all of the radical clerics they can consider opening them again.

After meeting Spanish Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso, Mr Sarkozy told reporters radical preaching would no longer be tolerated in France. "The [French] republic is not a weak regime and it does not have to accept speech which on the pretext that it is happening in a place of worship calls for hate and murder. "Those who persist in this way will systematically be the object of an expulsion procedure." Over the past decade France has expelled several foreign-born Muslim preachers after accusing them of abusing their positions by inciting violence. The minister said Western countries must unite in the fight against al-Qaeda.

I rarely agree with the French, but I do this time. I wonder if they did it because they figured they were next.

"I know of only one policy against these people - firmness, arresting them, punishing them, penalising them, in Madrid, London, New York, everywhere. "We must never allow ourselves to give them the satisfaction of a division between us," he said. Mr Sarkozy said he and Mr Alonso had agreed to strengthen co-operation in the fight against Islamic militancy. France has stepped up security measures in the light of the London bombings, including restoring border controls with its EU neighbours. On Thursday, French President Jacques Chirac warned that no country was immune from terrorist attacks. "These terrorists have a mentality, a psychological state that is different from our own. All efforts must be made to fight against terrorism," he said.

Dr. Steven Taylor blogged One guesses that Madrid + London = the need to do something. The trick will be grafting the appropriate rule/law and then actually policing it. Further, it depends on French legal and constitutional provisions regarding speech.

Marc @USSNeverdock blogged Britain is considering cracking down on the imams but not on border controls. About time since we've been at war for years now. But the Muslims will claim discrimination and while the EU tightens security, the peaceniks are already undermining their efforts.