Turkey: European states should unite against xenophobia

By Sibel Morrow

ANKARA (AA) - European countries must stand together in firm opposition to xenophobia and racism, Turkey urged Thursday following a right-wing terror attack in Germany that killed nine people, including five Turkish nationals.

"It is now time for all European countries to unite against racism and xenophobia and speak with one voice," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The heinous attack last night in Hanau, Germany is a grave new manifestation of rising racism and hostility to Islam," it added.

Such racist attacks should not be considered as mere individual incidents, said the ministry, adding that the insensitivity shown in the fight against rising xenophobia in Europe is fueling new attacks.

"It is now time to put an end to these attacks. Otherwise, racism and xenophobia will reach more serious levels and lead us to a dangerous place," said the ministry.

The ministry stated that the way to effectively fight racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia “lies first and foremost in avoiding this approach encouraging [prejudice] and taking effective measures against it."

Turkey is ready to show the necessary bilateral and international cooperation in the fight against all kinds of racism, and "we will continue our sincere efforts in this direction," said the statement.

The ministry also extended condolences to the Turkish nationals who lost their lives and their families.

The perpetrator, who targeted migrants at two cafes in Hanau, near Frankfurt, was identified by security forces as Tobias R., 43, German daily Bild reported.

He and one other person were found dead in an apartment in Hanau following a German special operations raid.

Initial police findings showed that the perpetrator was acting with “xenophobic motives,” Hesse's Interior Minister Peter Beuth told reporters on Thursday.

"The Federal Public Prosecutor has taken over the investigation. It is treating this as a suspected incident of a terrorist attack," he said.

Hanau is located around 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of Frankfurt and has a population of nearly 100,000.