Details added (first version posted at 17:27)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 5. The Caucasus Muslim Board (CMB) has issued a statement on the August 4 incident related to the attack on the building of the Azerbaijani Embassy in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the CMB told Trend.
According to the statement, the CMB resolutely condemns this pre-arranged terrorist act pursuing political goals. This incident is a provocation against Azerbaijan and the international law overall. The aggression by the Mahdi Army radical group, also known as the Jaysh al-Mahdi (JAM), directed against the sovereignty and attribute of independent Azerbaijan – the state flag – can be considered as spiritual opportunism and an incitement to hatred.
"Azerbaijan is one of the few countries with an atmosphere of friendship, brotherhood, mutual understanding between religions and confessions. The country is known for its great respect for the national and spiritual values, and high attention to its religious heritage and traditions. The Azerbaijani society is alien to religious intolerance, radicalism, and xenophobia. Christians, Jews, representatives of all peoples and religions along with Muslims can freely perform their religious rituals in Azerbaijan. The forces behind such provocations against our country should know that Azerbaijan is not a place for extremist forces, and the Azerbaijani believers will never succumb to these incidents," the statement said.
The CMB expressed hope for the UK government's soonest measures on the matter.
"The hostile powers are well aware that Azerbaijan's victory lies within its national and religious unity, that's why their provocations are aimed particularly at this. All our achievements are based on the values that we have historically preserved, and Azerbaijan, relying on this heritage, will always achieve new historical victories," the board said.