EU Condemns Anti-Christian Terrorist Acts

(Febrary 23, 2011) The foreign ministers of the Council of the European Union, EU, issued a statement condemning terrorist acts against Christians and other religious groups. This statement, publicized Monday at the conclusion of a foreign affairs council meeting in Brussels, affirmed the strong commitment of the European Union to the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief without any discrimination. The council expressed its profound concern about the increasing number of acts of religious intolerance and discrimination, and acts of terrorism, in various countries, against Christians and their places of worship, and acts against Muslim pilgrims and other religious communities. It firmly condemned all these acts and offered condolences and solidarity to the countries and individual victims of such acts. "Freedom of religion or belief is a universal human right, which needs to be protected everywhere and for everyone," the statement affirmed. It asserted that "all persons belonging to religious communities and minorities should be able to practice their religion and worship freely, individually or in community with others, without fear of intolerance and attacks."
The statement of EU was welcomed by Church authorities. Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, archbishop of Bordeaux, France, expressed his satisfaction on behalf of the Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE), as well as the Orthodox, Protestant and Anglican representatives of the Conference of European Churches.