German Muslim groups criticise MP over scarf remark

BERLIN, Nov 1 (Reuters) Several of Germany's biggest Muslim groups said today they disagreed with an Islamic politician who urged other women to remove their headscarves, although they supported her right to express her views.

Some groups accused Greens lawmaker Ekin Deligoez of populism while others said she was not helping integration and even risked infringing Germany's religious freedoms.

''Of course she has the right to express herself but it is a shame that in the process she might be restricting religious freedom,'' Ali Kizilkaya, head of Islamrat, one of Germany's main moderate Muslim groups, told Reuters.

Muslims are split on whether wearing the headscarf is a religious duty in Islam but Kizilkaya said his understanding of the religion was that Muslim women should wear them.

The debate in Germany follows a heated discussion over Islamic veils in Britain where cabinet minister Jack Straw said facial veils worn by some Muslim women hindered integration.

Some Muslim leaders called his remarks offensive and accused him of stoking Islamophobia.

Deligoez, a Turkish-born Muslim who grew up in Germany, received death threats after telling a German newspaper last month headscarves were a symbol of female suppression.

''Wake up to today, wake up to Germany. You live here, so remove your headscarves!'' the 35-year-old had said.

Deligoez was harshly criticised by religious leaders and the media in Turkey for the interview.

''She has in effect advocated assimilation, not integration and we think that is the wrong way,'' said Kizilkaya.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has put integration firmly on her government's political agenda as fears grow about the emergence of an underclass of disillusioned young Muslims amid Islamic radicalisation in Europe.

Germany's roughly 3.2 million Muslims comprise around four percent of the population of Europe's biggest country. More than half are people of Turkish origin.

The government held a conference in September to try to agree on ways of dealing with issues like Islamophobia, equal rights, mosque-building and imam training.

The head of a group representing German Turks said Deligoez was pandering to populism and warned her comments may backfire.

''She moved Islamist circles to come out against (her),'' Kenan Kolat of Turkish Communities In Germany told reporters.

''Very few will remove it because of this discussion.'' The Central Council of Muslims of Germany also said it opposed Deligoez's views.

REUTERS PDM RK2215