MP wants to screen all Muslims in Iceland

Ásmundur Friðriksson, MP for the Independence Party has written a status on his Facebook page asking whether Icelanders are safe from terrorist attacks and wants to have the background of the 1500 Muslims living in Iceland investigated to see if they've attended terrorist training camps. Fellow party member says she's ashamed to be in the same political party as him due to his statement. 

Accompanying Friðriksson's status update is a photograph taken in Denmark where people have left flowers in the memory of the victims of the Paris attack on the editorial office of Charlie Hebdo last week. 

"Denmark, like the whole world, sympathises with the French nation. Disgusting acts of terrorism in the name of Muslims are condemned. I wonder if we are safe in Iceland," Friðriksson wrote. He also asks if the Ministry of the Interior and policeforce have made any preparations to protect Icelanders from such attacks. 

"Has the background of the 1500 Muslims living in Iceland been checked out to see if any "Icelandic Muslims" have attended terrorist camps or fought in Afghanistan, Syria and other countries where war rages in the ranks of Muslims. I've never thought to question this before as I always believe there's a good side to all people but that doesn't apply anymore when it comes to matters of national security." (The inverted commas around the words Icelandic Muslims are his own). 

Ashamed to be a member of the same party

Friðriksson's statement have been the object of severe criticism today. Independence Party member Áslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir says she's ashamed to be a member of the same party as him. 

"His statements are defined by prejudice and ignorance and do not fit in with the ideology which I believe most Independence Party members uphold, those of freedom and liberalism. I wonder if he should join another political party, a party which has already touched on these sort of ideas in a very tasteless manner."

Helgi Hrafn Gunnarsson, MP for the Pirates also criticises Friðriksson. On his Facebook page he condemns Friðriksson's statement and says he is inciting prejudice without realising it and that it's prejudice when minorities do not enjoy the same rights as others. 

"We can discuss precautions taken by the Icelandic police and possible weapons for the policeforce and I expect that is an issue to be taken up this spring at Parliament. However it is unacceptable in a civilized republic that the background of individuals is investigated by the government for the sole reason of their religious background," adds Gunnarsson.