Attacks have been launched against three mosques in Greece and France in recent days. In a small village in Thrace, in northeast Greece, a fire its origin has still to be ascertained seriously damaged a mosque. The local authorities have opened an inquest and no hypothesis, including that of a far-right attack, is being excluded. In any case said the prefect “we shall not permit anyone to ruin the good relations that exist between Moslems and Christians”. The fire broke out on Sunday, 7 March, immediately after the victory of the right-wing opposition in the general elections. In France, fires have also broken out in the mosque at Annecy and in a prayer room in Seynod, both in the Haute Savoie. French Minister of the Interior Nicolas Sarkozy immediately visited the scenes and, speaking to the Moslem community, promised better protection of mosques. “We will do for you he said what we already do for synagogues. We cannot accept that even one single Muslim should go in fear”. The President of the French Republic Jacques Chirac has also intervened on the matter with an official communiqué expressing solidarity with Muslims in France and condemning “with the greatest firmness” these “odious acts”. Dalil Boubakeur, chairman of the Moslem Council, has acknowledged the “great wave of solidarity” shown towards the Moslem community by all religious leaders, including the Council representing the Jewish institutions in France.
