Medvedev wants true values of Islam explained in media, Internet

SOCHI, August 29 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
believes that far more active work must be conducted in the mass media and
in the world web to explain the true, genuine values of Islam to promote
religious education and to create a counterbalance to extremist
information products.
In his statement at a meeting in support of the religious Muslim
organizations of the North Caucasus, the Russian head of state said that
such work in the mass media and in the internet was a very complex and
delicate matter, but at the same time a vital need.
"So far it looks rather weak, if one compares the influence on people'
s minds of the extremist sites and of normal sites that explain the nature
of Islam and its dogmas that there exist in our country. Regrettably, the
score will not be to the advantage of the sites that have been created
here, including those at the universities concerned," the president said.
"This work must be stepped up. We shall never persuade anyone to stop
using the Internet. Also we are aware that we shall fail to block this
sort of extremist sites. There will emerge mirror sites and from there we
shall have the same flow of absolutely extremist information and calls,"
Medvedev said.
"I do enter the Internet myself from time to time to see what they
write there. The stuff is hair-raising. It has nothing to do with Islam or
with any ideology at all," Medvedev said. "I do hope that we shall be able
to continue this work with the Islamic clergy in coordination with the
presidential staff."