Solana offers Muslims little hope says Karim

North West Euro MP Sajjad Karim, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Human Rights, claims CIA Committee interrogation of EU High Representative Javier Solana offered little hope for European Muslims.

Despite Solana's initial remark that defeating extremists requires winning the battle for hearts and minds together with Muslims on the basis of common values, he failed to take the opportunity, offered him by Sajjad Karim MEP, to elaborate on the role of European Muslims in the EU's counterterrorism efforts.

Speaking from the European Parliament in Brussels, Karim, Vice-President of the Anti-Racism and Diversity Inter-Group said: "There is an overwhelming belief, particularly amongst Muslims in my constituency, that so long as European Muslims are the only targets of the CIA, EU governments will allow illegal CIA practices to continue.

"When I aired this belief, Solana could only offer a curt response insisting that the EU is not guilty of double standards. Solana should be tripping over himself to explain how the EU is engaging Muslims in the joint fight against terrorism.

"It is disgraceful that after five years of the 'War on Terror' Solana cannot offer a well-versed action plan to bridge the gap between rhetoric about common values and the reality of exclusion and discrimination faced by Muslims in the EU," concluded Karim.