PRAGUE: Czech police say they have arrested a man for publishing an Islamic book that allegedly promotes racism and violence.
Spokesman Pavel Hantak says the suspect, who wasn’t identified, is one of 20 people that police detained during raids in Islamic centers in the Czech capital over the last two days.
In a Saturday statement, Hantak said the suspect organized the book’s translation, publication, distribution and sale.
He said the book allegedly spreads racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia and violence against “inferior races.” Police and the state prosecution declined to give the book’s name, saying they don’t want to promote it by naming it.
Local Muslims protested that the raids took place during prayers on Friday, which is a holy day for them.
Czech police arrest man over Islamic book
Czech police arrest man over Islamic book
Macron vows stronger cooperation with Nigeria after mass kidnappings
- Macron wrote on X that France “will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations”
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that France will step up cooperation with Nigeria after speaking with his counterpart, as the West African country faces a surge in abductions.
Nigeria has been wracked by a wave of kidnappings in recent weeks, including the capture of over 300 school children two weeks ago that shook Africa’s most populous country, already weary from chronic violence.
Macron wrote on X that the move came at Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s request, saying France “will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations,” while urging other countries to “step up their engagement.”
“No one can remain a spectator” to what is happening in Nigeria, the French president said.
Nigeria has drawn heightened attention from Washington in recent weeks, after US President Donald Trump said in November that the United States was prepared to take military action there to counter the killing of Christians.
US officials, while not contradicting Trump, have since instead emphasized other US actions on Nigeria including security cooperation with the government and the prospect of targeted sanctions.
Kidnappings for ransom by armed groups have plagued Nigeria since the 2014 abduction of 276 school girls in the town of Chibok by Boko Haram militants.
The religiously diverse country is the scene of a number of long-brewing conflicts that have killed both Christians and Muslims, often indiscriminately.
Many scholars say the reality is more nuanced, with conflicts rooted in struggles for scarce resources rather than directly related to religion.
