In today's global landscape, Islamic extremism (from here on referred to simply as "Islam") in various forms poses a challenge to societies worldwide.

Best-known examples:

• 11 September 2001, USA: The attacks, carried out by members of the al-Qaeda group, led to the deaths of almost 3,000 people and are one of the most striking examples of Islam.

• Madrid train bombings, 2004: Bombs exploded on trains and claimed 191 lives. The perpetrators were also linked to Islamist motives.

• Charlie Hebdo attack, Paris, 2015: Muslims attacked the editorial offices of the satirical magazine, resulting in 12 deaths. The attack was a direct reaction to the depiction of the Prophet Muhammad in the magazine.

Comparison with other forms of religious extremism: It is undeniable that terrorist acts in the name of a faith do not stand out in cruelty and frequency in any other religion like Islam. If you search for documented terrorist attacks worldwide, you will quickly realise an over-representation of Islamist acts. At the time of writing, the last attack worldwide was just three weeks ago, and it was carried out in the name of Islam. When was the last Christian-motivated attack? You have to go back more than three years and go to the Congo to find something. Three years earlier, in a region that is so unimportant to global society that it was understandably not reported on. Have there been any reports of extremist Jews recently? Have any Hindu or - God forbid - Buddhist extremists killed in the name of their religion? Islam outshines them all in this respect.

Discussion of compatibility with Western cultures: It is important not to confuse Islam and so-called "political Islam", because that is not possible, as both are one and the same. Millions of Muslims live peacefully in Western countries and contribute to society in a variety of ways until the critical mass, i.e. an approximate threshold proportion of the population, is reached. From then on, attempts are made to reshape the autochthonous society with ever more demands.

Conclusion:

The discussion about Islam is not really complex and does not require a differentiated view. It is crucial to seek dialogue between different cultural and religious groups that are threatened by Islam in order to find joint solutions for peaceful coexistence.