The French nation is in shock, trying to comprehend the scale of terrorist atrocities that overshadow everything that France has experienced in its modern history. Vigils in support of Charlie Hebdo have been taking place across the country, and across the world as well. Many world leaders have expressed their solidarity with the French people, condemning the terrorist attacks and their perpetrators.
French President Francois Hollande went on national television soon after both sieges were over, calling on the nation to be vigilant, united and mobilised and branding the terrorists murderers.
His government is now facing plenty of uncomfortable questions, not least as to how it could have happened that two men armed with automatic rifles and wearing masks could stage an attack, in broad daylight, on the offices of Charlie Hebdo, which did not have adequate security despite all the death threats from Muslim extremists for publishing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. Why even though all the three dead terrorists were known to the police they were not kept under proper surveillance? There are also questions about the rather farcical situation with the police laying siege to the Jewish supermarket but forgetting to block the back exit which was used by one of the suspects, Hayat Boumediene to escape.
At the same time lots and lots of words are being said and written equating the attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo to an attack on the freedom of speech and Western values generally. The main message coming from all these comments is that terrorists should not be allowed to undermine free speech in France, which is part and parcel of liberal democracy. Although it is doubtful that the attackers have ever read the magazine, or saw the offensive images of the Prophet, and probably did what they did either on orders of influence of extremist leaders.
No one disputes for a moment that these were hideous crimes, a cold blooded murder of innocent people, and no one should doubt for a single moment that such actions are unacceptable, whatever the reason given for them. But let's not get carried away by emotions and look at events and the background to them. And the one thing that stands out is the way words and deeds of some Western politicians, who expressed their disdain about the killings, have — how can I put it mildly?— been not exactly sincere.
Impressive images of the #Assault "@H_NAILI: Assault on the supermarket at Porte de #Vincennes to freed hostages pic.twitter.com/9MZblYd23N"
— Milad Jokar (@Milad_Jokar) January 9, 2015
Consider this: Western governments had been instrumental in supporting and arming jihadists, including Al Qaeda fighters, in Libya and Syria, and yet, no one seems to be making any connection between what is going on in the Middle East and the terror attacks in Paris. It's all very fine of the likes of US President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron or French President Francois Hollande to talk about their grief and anger over the loss of life as a result of the terrorist outrages but these are the very same people who have been instrumental in arming and supporting the fanatics in Libya and Syria who later formed the so-called Islamic State. It now includes something like 100,000 fighters, with thousands having come from Western Europe and quite a few returning back home, radicalised and trained to kill. You can't really be providing support to anti-government insurgents abroad, who openly call you their enemy, and then be shocked and horrified when they turn against you.
And there is more. Western governments like to talk a lot about multi-faith societies, having opened the doors for immigrants of different religions, including millions of Muslims. And yet, at the very same time, under the guise of free speech these very faiths are mocked and ridiculed by aggressive atheists, which in practical terms constitutes incitement of religious hatred, as Muslim, Hindus, Buddhists and others treat this as blasphemy coming from the local Christian majority. Not forgetting that mocking people's faith is usually intended to make them look unworthy, opening the way for discrimination and persecution. It's worth to remember that anti-Semitism feeds on the ridicule of the Jewish faith.
Western secular liberal democracies, which pride themselves on tolerance and free speech, for some reason allow extreme intolerance when it comes to treating different faiths, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam, with respect. It's one thing having a laugh at the expense of the clergy and the hypocrisy that exists in some sections of the official religion but it is totally unacceptable when the main sacred symbols of the faith of millions and the teachings they live by are being ridiculed and trampled upon for the sake of raising a cheap laugh. It causes serious resentment and fuels radicalisation of some believers by the people who use religion as a cover to promote their agendas. No matter how funny Charlie Hebdo's cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed were, although I personally didn't find them funny at all, it still has nothing to do with free speech. It's a dangerous and rather foolish attempt to try to come across as being controversial, which in this case backfired tragically.
