‘It’s not right to identify Islam with violence’ – Pope Francis

The head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has come to the defense of Muslims as he described attempts to blame violence on Islam as ‘unfair’.

An increase in terror attacks by Muslim fundamentalists has threatened to stoke anti-Islam sentiments in some parts of the world and Republican candidate, Donald Trump has more than once suggested violence is caused by Muslims.

The Pope made his remarks in Poland where he was attending the week-long World Youth Day. He told reporters when he was asked why he never uses ‘Islam’ in referring to violence; “it’s not right to identify Islam with violence. It’s not right and it’s not true,”

He went ahead to say “I don’t like to talk of Islamic violence because every day when I go through the newspapers, I see violence,”

“And these are baptized Catholics. If I speak of Islamic violence, then I have to speak of Catholic violence.”