UK: Muslim leader says Islamists' first victims are moderate Muslims

Representatives of the Anglican Church have for the first time invited a Muslim representative to address their general synod who has condemned the violence perpetrated by Islamists in the Middle East and the suffering that religious minorities, especially Christians, are subjected to there. Agence France-Presse reports that the Muslim representative has pointed out that the first victims of Islamist extremists have been and continue to be moderate Muslims.

"The persecution of Christians in Iraq and Syria is repugnant and completely unacceptable to anyone sane," said Fouad Nahdi, the leader of the Muslim research institute Radical Middle Way, which advocates dialogue between religions.  Nahdi went on to point out that Muslims living in the region who do not follow extremist ideas have been and continue to be the Islamists’ first victims.    

"We must not forget that Muslims are the first victims of these extremists," he said, referencing the fact that "thousands if not tens of thousands of such people have been killed during the last two years and will continue to die." Nahdi also said young British Muslims are objecting more and more sharply to being criticized for actions taking place thousands of kilometers away that have nothing to do with them, and that this could lead to embitterment and frustration among the most vulnerable.