Zeman refuses to apologise over statements linking Islam to violence

President Miloš Zeman has refused to apologise for statements he made linking “Islamic ideology” and violence, the Czech News Agency reported on Tuesday, quoting his spokesman. The international Organisation of Islamic Cooperation had called on the Czech head of state to retract a statement he made in Israel at the end of last month, when, speaking about an attack on a Jewish museum in Brussels, he said Islamic ideology had motivated similar acts of violence. Mr. Zeman said apologising for quoting from Islamic texts would constitute “blasphemy”.

Author: Ian Willoughby