ShareFrance witnessed an awful crime on Thursday evening on its National Day. A Tunisian resident of France drove his truck into a crowd watching traditional fireworks in the lovely French city of Nice, killing at least 84 and wounding many, as well as causing intense fear. The terrorist was shot dead. A local government official said weapons and grenades were later found inside the rented vehicle. French police stated that the criminal had no terrorist profile, but this does not change the fact that what he did is a barbaric and terrorist crime. The terrorism hitting France is complex and dangerous and requires complete revision of all immigration and residential regulations.
The French Muslim Council denounced this barbaric act, but such statements do not seem to be enough and have not stopped terrorists from carrying out several bloody crimes in Europe, including France. This attack will surely have effects related to the status of Muslims and immigrants in France, because such crimes are terrorist acts by citizens within their supposed home. So, cooperation with the French police is the best way because these attacks will affect the situation of Muslims in Europe as a whole.
French authorities must work with Islamic religious centers in France and Europe in general. These centers have an obligation to work for Islam and protect the reputation of Islam as a religion of peace. There are an estimated five million Muslims in France, the largest Muslim community in Western Europe. Muslims in the West are no longer a minority or just a foreign community and they must be alert to the need for serious work by groups in the West and imams of Islamic centers to promote the idea of a 'resettlement' of Islam in the new environment and integration of Muslims into a liberal society. This should not necessarily affect their culture or religious beliefs, and perhaps the successful experience of the 'resettlement' of Judaism and Jews in Western countries is worth considering.
Kuwait's Ambassador to France Sami Mohammad Al-Suleiman announced that there are no Kuwaitis among the victims of the truck attack in Nice. The images of the attack were devastating. I express my sincere condolences to the victims of the attack and wish quick recovery to those injured. The dead and injured people in Nice are innocents and should not be discriminated against because of religion, race or sex.
