VATICAN CITY, Sept 17: Pope Benedict tried on Sunday to calm Muslim anger at his remarks on Islam, saying he was “deeply sorry” about the reaction and that medieval quotes he used on holy war did not reflect his personal views.
The head of the world’s 1.1 billion Roman Catholics stopped short of the full apology or retraction demanded by some Muslims for a speech they say portrayed Islam as tainted by violence.
The deputy leader of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammed Habib, initially said it was “a sufficient apology”, but later said: “It does not rise to the level of a clear apology and, based on this, we’re calling on the pope to issue a clear apology that will decisively end any confusion.”
Before the Pope spoke, there had already been a protest on Sunday in Iran and attacks on churches in the West Bank. In Somalia an Italian nun was killed in an attack one Islamist source said may be linked to the crisis.
“... I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address at the University of Regensburg, which were considered offensive to the sensibility of Muslims,” he told pilgrims at his Castelgandolfo summer residence.
“These in fact were a quotation from a medieval text, which do not in any way express my personal thought,” the Pope said at his weekly Angelus prayer.
“I hope this serves to appease hearts and to clarify the true meaning of my address, which in its totality was and is an invitation to frank and sincere dialogue, with mutual respect.”
Angry Muslim leaders flung what they saw as allegations of violence back at the West, referring to the medieval crusades against Islam and to the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which have fanned the flames of Muslim resentment.
In Iran about 500 theological school students protested in the holy city of Qom on Sunday and influential cleric Ahmad Khatami warned that if the Pope did not apologise, “Muslims’ outcry will continue until he fully regrets his remarks”.—Reuters
