Irish imam: Extremists have hijacked my religion

Extremism is a psychological phenomenon, not a religious one, and atrocities are being committed in the name of Islam, according to an Irish imam.

Imam Shaykh Dr Umar al-Qadri, head imam at the Islamic Cultural Centre Ireland and chairman of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council, said Islam strictly prohibits the killing of any non-combatant in a war situation.

He said that in Islam, the only justification for war is for defensive purposes.