France’s PM Manuel Valls calls on Muslims to help him root out radicalization

France’s prime minister has asked Muslims to help combat radicalism and those who oppose civil liberties within society.

Manuel Valls said that despite France’s principles of secularism, the state was going to have to intervene to ensure Islam could coexist with French values within his country.

France would have to strive to free Islam from radicalism, he said in an interview published Sunday by “Le Journal du Dimanche.”

“Our country must show the world brilliantly that Islam is compatible with democracy,” said Valls.

He was reacting to the debate sparked by recent jihadist attacks in France, the most recent being the killing of an elderly priest while he said mass in a church in Normandy.

Valls stressed that France would be ruthless against those who professed hatred or were apologists of violence.

Religious centers where such activities were fostered “will be systematically closed,” Valls said, adding that foreign preachers linked to such centers would be deported.

Rehabilitation centers that would help radicalized individuals return to society would be opened, with the first one coming on stream in September, he said.

Valls said the state should not have to deal with theology, but insisted it needed to help create solid learning institutions, based on openness.

For that to happen Valls said “a pact” was needed with Muslims, enabling a balance between Islam and France.

The republic would guarantee freedom of worship and Muslims would fight radicalization from within, he said.

“If Islam does not help the Republic to fight for civil liberties, it will become increasingly difficult to ensure freedom of worship,” he said.