Prague, Nov 25 (CTK) – Islamic State’s having listed the Czech Republic in the “coalition of devils” must not be underestimated, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) told journalists yesterday.
“For years, the Czech Republic has been a part of the international coalition actively fighting IS,” Sobotka said.
“There is no reason to wonder that Islamist militants have noticed this,” he added.
IS extremists have threatened to retaliate against the alliance of 60 countries including the Czech Republic whose flags feature in the recording published by the Arab daily Al-Hayat.
“We must not underestimate anything, including the statement. The police and secret services will pay the relevant attention to this,” Sobotka said.
It is not shameful to be listed among the most advanced countries in the world, Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec (Social Democrats, CSSD) said in reaction to Islamic State having placed the Czech Republic in the “coalition of devils” yesterday.
The “satanic coalition” includes all countries of NATO and the Arab states taking part in air attacks against IS. The video has been published in a number of languages.
Chovanec said “the war against the treacherous and fanatical terrorism was enforced to us.”
He added that the opponents of IS would win the war.
President Milos Zeman’s spokesman Jiri Ovcacek said “we are in a good club,” reacting to the Czech Republic’s being placed in the “coalition of devils.” Zeman is a well-known critic not only of Islamist terrorists, but also of Islam.
“With all of its acts IS has shown that this is no clash of various cultures, but a clash with barbarity!” Culture Minister Daniel Herman (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) said.
The IS statement was no surprise, KDU-CSL leader, Deputy Prime Minister Pavel Belobradek said.
The Czech Republic that defends democracy and freedom is naturally in a strict contrast with the terrorist group, Belobradek said.
He has proposed to Sobotka that the National Security Council should be convened over the video recording. The idea was supported by Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO).
“The representatives of the so-called Islamic State are saying themselves that at least one half of their fight against us is a media campaign,” Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek (CSSD) said.
“Now they are enjoying their dubious fresh popularity, trying to strike as far as possible and to survive as long as possible,” Zaoralek said.
“It seems to me that reacting to their big-mouthed video clips is a mistake,” he added.
Destroying the basic idea of terrorism will take some time, Zaoralek said.
“We must learn to live with this, to face the threat and to reduce it to a minimum,” he added.
“It will be a tough and difficult battle and we must be a part of those who are engaged in it since we are a part of the civilisation attacked by the criminal grouping,” Zaoralek said.
pv/dr/rtj
