The existential war between Islamic State and secular France

The killing of a priest during morning mass at a Catholic church near Rouen on 26 July 2016 has sent new shockwaves through France – a country which prides itself on its secularism, but in which religion still plays a large part in many communities.

The rapid succession of attacks on French soil claimed by Islamic State (IS), from the truck rampage in Nice on Bastille Day to the killing of 84-year-old Jacques Hamel 15 days later, is a worrying sign that IS has intensified its strategy known as the 'management of savagery' and that France is a primary target in its fight against the 'evil forces'.

This existential war between the core values of the West and Islam does happen elsewhere in Europe, but it is at its peak in France.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Priest killed in French church, attackers 'claimed to be from IS group' http://www.europeansources.info/record/priest-killed-in-french-church-attackers-claimed-to-be-from-is-group/

ESO: Background information: France struck on its national day by horrific terrorist attack http://www.europeansources.info/record/france-struck-on-its-national-day-by-horrific-terrorist-attack/

The Conversation, 27.07.16: Blaming inequality for French terror attacks is facile and dangerous https://theconversation.com/blaming-inequality-for-french-terror-attacks-is-facile-and-dangerous-63146

ESO: Background information: The security threat posed by ‘outsiders’ is becoming a central theme of French politics in the aftermath of Charlie Hebdo http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-security-threat-posed-by-outsiders-is-becoming-a-central-theme-of-french-politics-in-the-aftermath-of-charlie-hebdo/

ESO: Background information: European rights court upholds French 'burqa ban' http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-rights-court-upholds-french-burqa-ban/

Wikipedia: Laïcité https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La%C3%AFcit%C3%A9

France24, 28.07.16: Deadly church attack casts spotlight on religion in secular France http://www.france24.com/en/20160727-france-church-attack-religion-secularism-islamic-state-group

The Conversation, 12.08.16: Secular France is no stranger to interfaith dialogue – now it is more vital than ever https://theconversation.com/secular-france-is-no-stranger-to-interfaith-dialogue-now-it-is-more-vital-than-ever-63478

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