IS terrorists’ ideology based on lie, perversion of Islam, Russia counteracts them - Putin

MOSCOW, September 23. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has stressed the need for countering fundamentalism as the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group that perverts Islam is attempting to recruit adepts in Russia. "The work in this direction [countering fundamentalism] is especially important today when the attempts are made to cynically exploit religious feelings for political goals," the Russian leader said at an opening ceremony for the Grand Mosque in Moscow. Turkish and Palestinian leaders Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Mahmoud Abbas are also attending the ceremony. The non-acceptance and condemnation of any manifestations of fundamentalism and radicalism "has become a significant contribution in the fight against nationalism and religious extremism," Putin said. Putin gave as example the situation in the Middle East where the IS terrorists "discredit the great world religion and discredit Islam, and sow the seeds of hatred, kill people, including clergymen, and destroy the monuments of global culture in a barbaric way." The IS ideology "is based on lie and clear perversion of Islam." "They try to enlist adepts in this country as well," he said, stressing that the Muslim spiritual leaders of Russia bravely counteract this extremist propaganda using their authority. "I want to show huge respect for these people, indeed they do their job heroically and suffer losses," he said, adding that there is no doubt that the Muslim spiritual leaders will educate believers on the principles of humanism, mercy and justice. The Russian leader said it is important to expand Muslim cultural and scientific-educational centers that have the goal of uniting the followers of this religion and convey to them the spiritual, cultural and moral code of the traditional Islam in Russia. Read more