Ugly attack on Mosque and Quran in Western Thrace
On Thursday, June 15, a French citizen carried out an ugly and provocative attack on a mosque in the Ilıca (Thermes) village of Xanthi.
It was determined that the attacker, who entered the mosque in the spa district of Ilıca village of Xanthi, and was determined to be a French citizen, tore the Qur'an inside the mosque and damaged the furniture in.
The people of the region reacted immediately to the ugly provocation. Villagers who informed the police units complained about the person.
In a statement made by the Mufti of Xanthi Mustafa Trampa, it was reported that the French attacker was detained by the police and taken to Şahin (Echinos) Police Station, according to the information given by Hasan Nazir, the former District Manager of Ilıca (Thermes), who was the first to witness the incident.
In the statement sent to the press by the Mufti of Xanthi Mustafa Trampa, it was reported that the Chairman of the Board of Trustees in Ilıca made a complaint about the person who carried out the heinous attack. It was stated that the French attacker was detained by Xanthi Police Departments.
The following statements were included in the statement published by the Mufti of Xanthi Mustafa Trampa:
“At around 18.00 today (Thursday), a person we learned to be a French citizen entered the mosque in the Ilıca Region “Kaplıcalar” locality of the Mustafçova (Miki) Municipality, removed the curtain of the pulpit, wrapped it around his head, and smashed the Qur'an in the mosque and threw it on the ground. According to the information we received from Hasan Nazir, the former Director of Ilıca District, who was the first to witness the incident, this person was detained by the police and taken to Şahin (Echinos) Police Station.
A complaint was filed against the French citizen in consultation with Mufti of Xanthi Mustafa Trampa, Mayor of Mustafçova Mr. Rıdvan Delihüseyin and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Ilıca Eyüp Köse.
As the Muslim Turkish Minority of Western Thrace, we strongly condemn this ugly attack on our holy book, the Quran and our temple, and we expect the dark-spirited person who carried out such an attack to destroy the environment of peace and tranquility to be punished as he deserves.
Our nation has met the incident in question with concern and astonishment. May my Lord protect us from evil who attack our religious values."
Statement by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, Giorgos Kalantzis, on the incident at the Xanthi Mosque
"The irreverent acts, which took place in a Mosque in the wider area of Xanthi, are absolutely condemnable without asterisks, they cause particular sadness to all of us, but, at the same time, they steel our will to continue on the same path of absolute respect for the religious freedom of our Muslim fellow citizens of Thrace, which is guaranteed by the Constitution of Greece.
Many congratulations are due to the Greek Police who intervened immediately, arrested the foreign perpetrator and the automatic procedure of the law is already being followed.
Respect for the places of worship of every religious community is a non-negotiable value for Greece."
