Ali Bardakoglu, head of Türkiye's state religious affairs directorate, sharply criticized Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday over comments the pontiff made about Islam during a visit to Germany, calling them hostile and biased.
Speaking on NTV, Bardakoglu demanded an immediate retraction and apology, saying the remarks revealed prejudice and ill will toward Islam. He called the pope's worldview one that looks down on others and said the comments risked inflaming tensions between religions.
The pope had cited a medieval Christian emperor who characterized the Prophet Mohammed's legacy in deeply negative terms, while arguing that violence is incompatible with the nature of God. A Vatican spokesman said the words were not intended as a strong attack on Islam.
Bardakoglu also said he opposed the pope's scheduled 28-30 November visit to Türkiye, arguing that a leader holding such views toward Islam's prophet should first replace hostility with genuine respect before making the trip.
The controversy added to existing friction: the pope had previously, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, called Türkiye's pursuit of European Union membership a serious mistake. He is widely regarded in Türkiye as an opponent of the country's EU aspirations.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in September 2006, in its own words.