Turkish President Lambastes 'Islamic Terror' Epithet

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday harshly criticized the use of the phrase "Islamic terror" in world media, pointing to a double standard between Islam and other faiths.



"Nearly 1 million Rohingya are being subjected to genocide and are fleeing to Bangladesh," Erdogan said at an intercultural event in New York hosted by the Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC).



"We never said it was Buddhists who killed them. This is indeed the case, but we never put it as such. Now I call on those who want to endear Buddhists to the world: What gives you the right to say 'Islamic terror?'" Erdogan said to thundering applause.



The Turkish president had similar criticism for the portrayal of the Daesh terror group as representing Islam.



"Whoever kills a soul, it is as if they have killed the entire humanity. This is among the principles of our faith," Erdogan said. "Nobody should dare associate Daesh with Islam or Muslims. It is a terrorist group," he said.



Erdogan will conclude his UN General Assembly trip to New York on Thursday, after a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. -