It is lazy to say Paris terror attacks have nothing to do with Islam, Sajid Javid says

Sajid Javid, the Culture Secretary, says there is 'no getting away' from fact that terrorists behind attacks in West say they are Muslim

Sajid Javid, the Culture Secretary
Sajid Javid, the culture secretary, says Muslim community has a 'special burden' in wake of terror attacks Credit: Photo: Bloomberg

The Muslim community has a "special burden" to tackle terrorism and it is "lazy and wrong" to say that the attacks in Paris have nothing to do with Islam, the Culture Secretary has said.

Sajid Javid, who is of Muslim heritage, said that there can be "no getting away from the fact" that those behind terrorists in Paris, London and Madrid "call themselves Muslims".

Mr Javid told Pienaar's Politics on BBC Radio 5 Live: "There is no getting away from the fact that the people carrying out these acts - what we have seen just horrifically this week in Paris, what has happened in London and Madrid - these people call themselves Muslims.

"The lazy answer would be to say that this has got nothing whatsoever to do with Islam or Muslims and that should be the end of that. That would be lazy and wrong. You can't get away from the fact that these people are using Islam, taking a peaceful religion and using it as a tool to carry out their activities."

Mr Javid, who has been tipped as a future Conservative leader, has previously acknowledged his "Muslim heritage" but practices no religion himself. His wife is a Christian.

He told the Murnaghan programme on Sky News: "All communities can do more to try and help and deal with terrorists, try and help track them down, but I think it is absolutely fair to say that there is a special burden on Muslim communities, because whether we like it or not, these terrorists call themselves Muslims.

"It is no good for people to say they are not Muslims, that is what they call themselves. They do try to take what is a great peaceful religion and warp it for their own means."