Stop Saying “Islamic Terrorist”, Imam Tells Nick Ferrari
19 March 2019, 13:31
The media should stop using the phrase “Islamic terrorist” because it “tarnishes the entire Muslim population”, an Imam told Nick Ferrari.
Ajmal Masroor was one of 450 Muslim leaders to sign a letter condemning the deadly Christchurch attack and calling on authorities to combat Islamophobia.
They say the massacre, which claimed the lives of 50 people, was inspired by a “hatred of Islam and Muslims”.
“This bigotry has been fuelled by certain callous academics, reckless politicians as well as media outlets who regularly feature those who demonise Islam and Muslims with impunity, disguising their vile mantra behind a veneer of objectivity,” they said.
But Nick questioned: "If you just say a ‘terror attack’ you don’t know whether it might be an Irish terror attack, a false Islam terror attack, a right-wing terror attack.
“You can’t just say a ‘terror attack’, journalism is about giving details.”
Mr Masroor responded: “Islam is not a land, it’s a people and a religion of 1.8 billion people globally. So what we do is immediately tarnish the entire Muslim population.
“There are people who don’t have the wit as well as the intelligence… so they can’t make the distinction.
“So what they do, they jump to conclusion and say ‘Ah, Islam/Muslims? Go and kill them’.”
Watch the debate above...
