Experts, drawing attention to the deep connections of international terrorist organizations, stated that the terror attack claimed by ISIS in Vienna strengthened the hand of French President Macron, who came to the forefront with his anti-Islam and anti-Turkey rhetoric.
In the terror attack that took place the previous night in Vienna, the capital of Austria, 4 people were killed and 15 were injured. Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer announced that ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz, on the other hand, made a statement saying, "We must realize that this is not a conflict between Christians and Muslims or between Austrians and immigrants. No. This is a conflict between many people who believe in peace and a small group who want war."
Dean of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHS), Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Arıboğan evaluated the Vienna attack, which occurred at a time when anti-Islam sentiment was on the rise in Europe, for an AA reporter.
"Terrorist acts are meticulously used to shape mass perceptions"
Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Arıboğan stated that the rise of anti-Islam sentiment as one of the fundamental political motifs of the Western world is not a new phenomenon, and that with the September 11 attacks and the subsequent emergence of ISIS, a profile of an "aggressive and dangerous Muslim" was embedded in people's minds.
Arıboğan emphasized that all large-scale terror attacks carried out in Europe, especially in France, led to local policies being affected 'because they were cloaked in Islamic guise', "The process that initially developed through Islamophobia, meaning fear, has now evolved to a stage we can call anti-Islamism, meaning anti-Islam sentiment or hostility. Political parties have turned this issue into a main theme in their election campaigns. All global terror networks are connected with state intelligence, and terrorist acts are meticulously used to shape mass perceptions," she said.
Arıboğan pointed out that the negative approach towards immigrants in the Western world is based on an anti-Islam and even anti-Turkish foundation, and added: "This is moving towards an extremely dangerous point for all our kinsmen and citizens living there. Since the idea of secularism is built upon anti-Islamism, a target is created that can simultaneously demonize both devout Christians and secular segments. While the attack at Kabul University, where 35 people were killed, received no attention, the terror in Vienna is being published in headlines with anti-Islam content. This also occurred with a timing that could show how right Macron allegedly is in drawing attention to the so-called Islamic threat. He is probably quite pleased with this situation."