Russian Church Hierarch: U.s. Actions In Afghanistan And Russia's Actions In Chechnya Cannot Be Viewed As Inter-religious Conflict

On Saturday Chairman of the department of foreign relations of the Moscow Patriarchy metropolitan Kirill stated that the Russian Orthodox church was of the opinion that US actions in Afghanistan and Russia's actions in Chechnya were not to be considered as an inter-religious conflict. US actions in Afghanistan and Russia's actions in Chechnya was "a reaction to the tragedy which terrorists used to bring into our families." The Russian church hierarch emphasized that the Orthodox church was "categorically against the attempt to identify Islam with terrorism." He stressed that "many good people belonging to Islam were good citizens of Russia."