Hate and extremism "not Islam", says French PM

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls stressed this week that there was no link between extremism and Islam, as he opened a conference aimed at improving ties with France's large Muslim community.

"We must say all of this is not Islam," said Valls. "The hate speech, anti-Semitism that hides behind anti-Zionism and hate for Israel ... the self-proclaimed imams in our neighbourhoods and our prisons who are promoting violence and terrorism."

Five months after the jihadist attacks in Paris that killed 17 people and shocked the world, the forum held on Monday was the first of a series of meetings the government plans to hold with top officials from the roughly five million-strong Muslim community, the largest in Europe. Since the January attacks, France has seen a spike in reports of anti-Muslim acts, including a three-fold rise in vandalism targeting mosques.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told the around 120 Muslim community leaders and top government officials at the forum that the full extent of anti-Muslim violence and threats was underestimated because victims do not always come forward. "I would like us to fight together against this feeling of resignation," he said. "Victims must report the acts and threats to which they are subjected."

Leaders also debated security at religious sites, the image of Islam in the media and the building of new mosques.

There are some 2,500 mosques in France, with another 300 projects underway, but creating new Muslim places of worship has sometimes prompted fierce opposition from local residents and right-wing politicians.   (AFP)

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