‘It’s not right to identify Islam with terrorism’ – Pope Francis addresses linking of Muslims with violence

Speaking aboard a plane taking him back to Rome after a five-day trip to Poland, Pope Francis said it would be unfair to label Islam as terrorism.

When asked by reporters why he never mentions Islam when condemning terrorism or violence, especially in the wake of brutal murder of a Catholic priest in France and other recent attacks in Europe claimed by the Islamic State group, he said,
“It’s not true and it’s not correct to say Islam is terrorism. It’s not right to identify Islam with violence. I believe that in every religion there is always a little fundamentalist group.

I don’t like to talk of Islamic violence because every day, when I go through the newspapers, I see violence, this man who girls his girlfriend, another who kills his mother-in-law. And these are baptized Catholics. If I speak of Islamic violence, then I have to speak of Catholic violence.

Not all Muslims are violent”.