Meanwhile, the Holy Synod had sent a letter to then Minister of Foreign Afairs G. Papandreou in protest over the issue, pointing out that the Church was not generally opposed to the construction of an Islamic mosque but it did disagree, on the one hand, with the location, because the tourists who would visit Greece would see a magniicent Muslim mosque right ater exiting the airport; and, on the other hand, with the construction of a Centre of Islamic Studies, as was initially provided for, because this would be “dangerous”, as evidenced in other European cities, meaning by that the danger of terrorism.125 The choice of the particular spot was unfortunate in any case, because it would not be easily accessible to the Muslims of Athens. The fact remains that construction was canceled, and to this date, Athens does not have an oicial place where its Muslim residents can pray. In a more recent incident, ater the attack against Christian Copts in Egypt on Christmas Day 2010, in his statement on 7 January 2011, the bishop of Piraeus, having described Muhammad as a “false prophet”, developed an analysis of the character of Islam according to which: “The character of Islam has been aggressive, and by the criminal acts of Islamists it is proven that it remains like this today. The sword and the knife are considered more convincing than the sermon and persuasion. Besides, the dissemination of Islam through Holy War was the reason of its domination”. As it is “reasonable”, he connects the events in Egypt with the erection of an Islamic mosque and the presence of Islam in Greece, describing Islam as a catastrophic worship through a selective use of excerpts of the Quran: “Taking into account the above facts and what is provided in the religious belief, Islam is a destructive religion, incompatible with the provisions of the Constitution of Greece in force ... where in Article 13 freedom of religious consciousness is established, but only regarding religious traditions that are not opposed to public order and morals. Islamism a priori promotes crime, violence, terrorism and death as means of its dissemination...”126. He also followed the same rhetoric when Muslims gathered in Kotzia Square in September 2010 to celebrate the end of Ramadan (date of statement: 10 September 2010): “The concession of the centre of Athens for the performance of religious rituals of a religion other than the dominant religion according to the Constitution is unacceptable behavior which alicts the dominant religious faith of the State. The Greek State according to the Constitution in force is not a religiously neutral State ... From the above, it is concluded that Islam is a heavy delusion and its religious faith is not the revelation of the living God, but a lawed human construction that bears no relation to the truth of the Creator of the Universe, revealed in the Old Testament”127. 125. 126. 127. See http://www.impantokratoros.gr/9FB97297.el.aspx. See http://www.impantokratoros.gr/9FB97297.el.aspx. See http://www.impantokratoros.gr/9FB97297.el.aspx. MAPPING ULTRA-RIGHT EXTREMISM, XENOPHOBIA AND RACISM WITHIN THE GREEK STATE APPARATUS | 87