Jihadis celebrated the destruction of large parts of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in a devastating fire on April 15. Reactions by jihadis on social media refer to the cathedral as a symbol of Christianity and a major point of origin for the Crusades.
Several describe the fire as punishment for various crimes attributed to France or to Christians in general, such as France’s military intervention in Muslim countries or the mosque massacres in New Zealand. Some jihadis, including leading figures, view the incident as a good omen heralding calamities for the West and the global order.
The following is a selection of such reactions to the fire:
Muntasir Media, a pro-ISIS media outlet, published a poster showing the burning cathedral, with the caption: “A good day! Notre Dame cathedral. Its construction began in 1163 and finished in 1345. It’s time to say goodbye to your pulpit of polytheism. ‘A fitting reward’ [Koran 78:26].”
A French-speaking jihad supporter on Facebook writes: “800 years of history of pedophilia, worship of Satan and other diabolical rituals, all up in smoke in a few minutes … it’s thrilling […] not mentioning the Crusades and the various wars led by the Church against the Muslims.”
Full article at MEMRI.