Los Angeles Times

Just terrorists

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Re “Mali attack latest to rattle global security,” Nov. 21

I note the reference in reporting on the attack in Bamako, Mali, on Friday to “Islamist terrorists.”

These people are no more Islamic than those they call infidels. These are groups of terrorists who are attempting to hijack Islam. Everything they do and stand for goes against Islam and the Koran.

This has nothing to do with some presidenti­al candidates claiming some are too squeamish to call the attackers Islamic terrorists. It goes much deeper than the insult that I’m sure many Muslims feel about this identifica­tion or reference.

When we equate the attackers with Islam, they’ve won. They claim they are the true face of Islam, when they are nothing more than thugs with guns and a wholly made-up agenda they use to justify wanton killing.

If we want to tarnish their appeal, perhaps we should stop labeling these murderers as Muslims.

Michael Solomon

Canoga Park

There is a cancer loose in our world. Malignant beings have metastasiz­ed to all functionin­g societies, hiding their evil among good people. The current hiding place for this murderous disease is Islam.

All three religions of Abraham mix texts of cruelty with love. Each has had moments when the cruel and hateful parts have dominated the message. Perhaps, because Islam is the youngest of the three, it has not had time to dilute the hateful side.

However, there is no doubt that a cancer resides in Islam. The good people of Islam vastly outnumber the malignant beings, but the rest of the world needs to believe that the malignancy is controlled before the treatment is stopped.

Phil Beauchamp

Chino Hills

 ?? Habibou Kouyate
AFP / Getty Images ?? SECURITY FORCES evacuate a man near the besieged Radisson hotel in Mali’s capital last week.
Habibou Kouyate AFP / Getty Images SECURITY FORCES evacuate a man near the besieged Radisson hotel in Mali’s capital last week.

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