Tolerance of a Small Italian Town

NYT reported After the bombs in London in July, the first offer from the new Muslim leadership here was to form posses to keep an eye on possible militants. This city, gentle and refined, the home of Stradivarius, declined. Another idea that did not work was a possible service by both Muslims and Christians in the treasure of a cathedral here - which, prosecutors say, Muslim militants considered blowing up three years ago. But Sadiq el-Hassan, a leader at Cremona's mosque, insisted that because the London bombings made future attacks in Europe a near certainty, something long overdue had to happen: Muslims, finally, needed to take a stand. "Our mistake is that we were quiet," said Mr. Hassan, 40, a Tunisian who in dress and speech seems nearly Italian. "After all that happened after Sept. 11, we never came out and said, 'These things are bad.' But it's not too late."

It would have been nice if they had taken a stand after 9/11, but 7/7 was much closer to home, and they definitely need to come out now.

It may not be too late, but Muslim leaders here worry that time is nonetheless running out on Italy's patience with them - and that worry has set off an unusual degree of self-criticism. It has not happened much in Europe, but Mr. Hassan is now planning for the Muslims of Cremona to show publicly that they are as much against terrorism and violence as Italians are. In coming weeks, Muslims will march - in numbers, Mr. Hassan hopes - against extremism carried out in the name of Islam. "If the million Muslims who live in Italy don't say anything, it means we are giving a green light to the terrorists," he said.

Precisely why I believe that CAIR needs to come out much more strongly against what the terrorists are doing here, before we even think of trusting them.

To optimists like Mayor Gian Carlo Corada, the march - initiated entirely by Muslims - could become a model for how the uneasy relationship between Muslim immigrants and Europeans can be redefined. Muslims, he said, could begin aligning themselves more clearly for values that are more European; Europeans, in turn, would be more open to true integration.

Actually I dont think Europeans oppose true integration; it is the Muslims that seem opposed to it, and who want Sharia law to replace British or Italian law.