Religious intolerance in the world worsened after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In its 2002 Annual Report, Amnesty International noted that “in addressing security concerns governments must ensure that internationally recognised safeguards to protect human rights are not infringed in any way. Governments must ensure that members of ethnic, religious or other minorities are not victimised. The principle of non-discrimination on grounds such as race, colour, ethnic origin, sex, language, religion and social status, which is repeated in virtually every major human rights treaty, is the very bedrock of international law.”

Religious organisations must continue to remain vigilant in the face of religious intolerance and discrimination.

With this post-September 11 environment in mind, the Church sponsored a delegation to visit Germany in May 2003 to look into multiple reports about the mistreatment of religious minorities there. The delegation, led by Reverend N.J. L’Heureux, Moderator of the Religious Liberty Committee of the National Council of Churches in the USA, was made up of representatives of different religions. The delegation found evidence that German intelligence resources have been deployed to spy on peaceful religious organisations. Ironically, while the Hamburg intelligence apparatus was misdirected in this manner, it failed to spot that the World Trade Center terrorists were planning their deadly assault in its midst. The delegation’s report shows how religious movements, including Muslim organisations that are completely law-abiding, have been denied basic rights under measures that purport to be aimed only at terrorists.

Intergovernmental organisations and international human rights officials have taken note of religions demanding greater protection of religious freedom. They have subsequently called on states to respect religious freedom in their fight against terrorism. In July 2003, Ambassador Christian Strohal, the director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) warned governments that “the threat of terrorism must not be used as an excuse to infringe on the rights of individuals and groups to freely choose and manifest their religion.” Abdelfattah Amor, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, warned that “the progress that has been made over the past decades in ensuring the right to freedom of religion is under threat” due to “emotional reactions” to the threat of terrorism that often “have swept reason away.” Religious organisations must continue to remain vigilant in the face of religious intolerance and discrimination.