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Leaders of France's Muslim community last night called on Iraqi militants to freetwo French journalists they are holding hostage.

The rebels are trying to force Paris to withdraw its ban on children wearing Muslim head-scarves in schools.

But Muslim leaders and the French government both condemned the kidnapping and said there should be no negotiation.

The hostage-taking overturned the notion that France's opposition to the invasion of Iraq and its generally pro-Arab policy mean that it is not a target for Islamic terrorism.

The appeals came as Paris city council held a series of emergency meetings with cabinet ministers about the demand by the Islamic Army in Iraq holding the jounalists.

The militant group, which the Arabic television station 'al Jazeera', last Thursday reported the killing of an Ialian journalist .

Muslim leaders who opposed the headscarf law were loud in their condemnation of the kidnapping. Some Muslims fear a backlash for the five million Muslim commonity in France.

France passed the law banning conspicuous sogns of faith in state schools last March in reaction to the growing influence of Islamic activists in France.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk

France and other EU countries is fast becoming very Un Free.

France and other EU countries is fast becoming very Un Free.


Not so. seperate religious schools cause and perpetuate sectarianism. In the UK this is a big issue as well with muslims now pushing for seperate faith schools for their children. The more extreme religious types don't like their children mixing with others as their children and girls in particular start thinking for themselves and refusing to conform.

Religon needs to be kept out of the schools except as a subject covering all faiths. It wasn't just the headscarf bit also the wearing of crosses that was banned.

I remember being in primary school when a catholic school was opened locally and half the pupils left. The conversation went from what's a catholic? Does that mean you are not a christian? to let's go round and pick a fight with the papes. At seven years old you need to be taught to hate other religons and colours. When we all met again in secondary school it seemed so silly to create such an artificial divide.

Try that is Ulster and see what happens. The Nationalists & Loyalists having been doing this since Adam was a boy. :-5

Failte - Welcome to our new members from England & Scotland,

:-6 :-6