‘Islamic terrorism’ banned from EU lexicon

‘Islamic terrorism’ banned from EU lexicon

EU officials will urge governments to avoid the phrase "Islamic terrorism" in favour of "terrorists who abusively invoke Islam.”

Officials are currently drafting a "non-emotive lexicon for discussing radicalisation" that will be submitted to EU leaders at a summit in June.

“Certainly ‘Islamic terrorism’ is something we will not use … we talk about ‘terrorists who abusively invoke Islam’,” said an official speaking off the record.

The new lexicon will not be legally binding but it is hoped it will be adopted by member states and all of the EU institutions.

"The basic idea behind it is to avoid the use of improper words that would cause frustration among Muslims and increase the risk of radicalisation," the official added.

Other terms being considered by the review include “Islamist”, “fundamentalist” and “jihad”.

Jihad is often used to mean warfare against infidels, but for most Muslims it indicates a spiritual struggle.

“Jihad means something for you and me, it means something else for a Muslim. Jihad is a perfectly positive concept of trying to fight evil within yourself,” the official said.

The lexical initiative follows the row over Danish cartoons that depicted the prophet Muhammad.

The cartoons led to outbreaks of anger and violence throughout the Muslim world.

The Parliament Magazine

Issue 291 | 22 June 2009The heart of Europe

Vladimír Špidla on Employment Week, the commission's social recovery plan and what the EU can do to protect jobs

Regional Review

Issue 13 | June 2009Be prepared

Margot Wallström on the financial crisis, Lisbon treaty and what Sweden must do to ensure a successful EU presidency

Research Review

Issue 9 | May 2009It's all in the mind

Get the lowdown and all the latest news from two key research conferences featuring the best of EU-funded projects

Advertise

Spread your message to an audience that counts, with options available for The Parliament Magazine, Regional Review and Research Review.