Barack Obama says US not at war with Islam

Washington: US President Barack Obama has said that America is “not at war with Islam” but with people who have perverted the religion, asserting that terror groups such as IS and al-Qaeda do not speak for a billion Muslims who reject their extremist ideology.

“We are not at war with Islam. We are at war with people who have perverted Islam,” Obama said at a White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism.

Obama asked Western and Muslim leaders to unite to defeat the “false promises of extremism” and reject the notion that ‘terrorist’ groups represent Islam, as he called for a focus on preventing “terrorists” from recruiting others.

“Al-Qaeda and IS and groups are desperate for legitimacy. They try to portray themselves as religious leaders, holy warriors in defense of Islam,” he said.

“That’s why IS presumes to declare itself the Islamic State and they propagate the notion that America, and the West generally, is at war with Islam. That’s how they recruit. That’s how they try to radicalise young people,” he added.

“We must never accept the premise that they put forward, because it is a lie, nor should we grant these terrorists the religious legitimacy that they seek. They are not religious leaders; they’re terrorists,” Obama said during the second day of the three day conference, which is being attended by leaders from over 60 countries, including India.

He said those outside Muslim communities need to reject the terrorist narrative that the West and Islam are in conflict or modern life and Islam are in conflict. “The terrorists do not speak for a billion Muslims,” he told delegates in the wake of a string of brutal attacks in Europe and West Asia.