French citizen commits provocative attack on mosque in Xanthi, Greece

According to reports, the attacker entered the mosque in the spa district of Ilıca and proceeded to tear apart the Qur'an and vandalize the furniture inside.

The incident sparked immediate outrage among the local community, prompting villagers to notify the police and file complaints against the perpetrator.

The Mufti of Xanthi, Mustafa Trampa, confirmed that the French attacker was swiftly apprehended by the police and taken to Şahin (Echinos) Police Station. Trampa's statement, released to the press, highlighted that the Chairman of the Board of Trustees in Ilıca had lodged a complaint against the assailant.

The Mufti's statement included the following details:

“At approximately 18:00 today, a person identified as a French citizen entered the mosque in the Ilıca Region's 'Kaplıcalar' locality, located in the Mustafçova (Miki) Municipality. This individual removed the curtain from the pulpit, wrapped it around his head, and proceeded to desecrate the Qur'an, throwing it on the ground. Hasan Nazir, the former Director of Ilıca District and an eyewitness, reported that the perpetrator was promptly detained by the police and taken into custody at Şahin (Echinos) Police Station.

As the Muslim Turkish Minority of Western Thrace, we vehemently condemn this heinous attack on our sacred book, the Qur'an, and our place of worship. We demand that the individual responsible for disrupting the environment of peace and tranquility faces appropriate punishment.

Our community is deeply disturbed and shocked by this incident. May we be protected from the evildoers who seek to undermine our religious values.”

Giorgos Kalantzis, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, also issued a statement expressing his condemnation of the incident. He commended the swift intervention of the Greek Police, who promptly arrested the foreign perpetrator.

Kalantzis emphasized that respect for the places of worship of all religious communities is an unwavering value in Greece, reaffirming the country's commitment to the religious freedom of its Muslim citizens in Thrace, as guaranteed by the Greek Constitution. (ILKHA)