The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has urged Imams and Islamic associations to remember Srebrenica Genocide Day on 11 July. On this day in 1995, more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys were massacred in Srebrenica despite being in a UN-protected safe area. The MCB Secretary General wrote to Imams across the UK, urging them to bring awareness of the genocide during their Friday sermons (Khutba) today. “The massacres of defenceless Muslims in Bosnia and Srebrenica will continue to bleed the hearts of Muslims in Europe and beyond. It is vital that we bring about awareness of the genocide, especially on the back of recent wave of Islamophobia and attacks on Muslims, their properties and places of worship across Europe." He added "This new phenomenon is symbolised in Britain recently by the bombing of mosques and other Muslim buildings, and across Europe, by the shocking and brutal murder of a Muslim woman, killed because she chose to wear a headscarf”. The MCB also distributed a Khutba prepared by the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, Rais-ul-Ulama Dr. Mustafa Ceriæ about the Genocide, requesting Imams in Mosques and Islamic centres to read this Khutba during the Friday Jumu’a Prayers today. The Khutba and the day of commemoration is a reminder to all Europeans, Muslims, Christians, Jews and others, that Islam has deep European roots. It has an illustrious history of coexistence with Christian and Jewish communities in Europe, as well as a recent history marred by vengeful hate and indiscriminate murder. In his message to Imams, Dr. Bari prayed that may Allah grant the martyrs of Srebrenica the highest place in Jannah and bless Europe with peace and guidance as a reward of their sacrifice. [ENDS] For further Information on Genocide Commemorating Khuta: http://mcb.org.uk/article_detail.php?article=announcement-797       For further information please contact the MCB:       The Muslim Council of Britain,       PO Box 57330,       London,       E1 2WJ       Tel: 0845 26 26 786       Fax: 0207 247 7079       media@mcb.org.uk