Islamophobia is fuelling terrorism says UN chief

Islamophobia in parts of the world is fuelling terrorism, the head of the United Nations said on a visit to Saudi Arabia yesterday, as anti-immigrant sentiment rises in some countries.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres made the comment to reporters after talks with Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Interior Minister Mohammed Bin Nayef and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

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“One of the things that fuel terrorism is the expression in some parts of the world of Islamophobic feelings and Islamophobic policies and Islamophobic hate speeches,” Guterres said at a joint news conference with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir. Guterres said:

This is sometimes the best support that Daesh can have to make its own propaganda

Anti-Muslim and anti-immigration sentiments have been rising in the West. Politicians, including France’s Marine Le Pen have seen their popularity rise after an influx to Europe of migrants and refugees, many of them Muslims fleeing wars in Syria and elsewhere.

US President Donald Trump issued an order in late January that denied entry to all refugees for 120 days.

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