KAZAN, July 21. /TASS/. Islamic clerics can count on the Russian Orthodox Church in their efforts to counteract terrorism, the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Kirill I said on Thursday as he met with the chairman of the Islamic Religious Department of Tatarstan, Kamil Samifullin, in Kazan.

"I’m confident the manifestations of terrorism conceal attempts to demonize Islam in front of the eyes of the whole world," Kirill I said. "By and large, Islam cannot emanate any dangers" and that is why "Moslem clerics are faced with a huge task of counteracting it, in the first place for the sake of the future of the Islamic faith."

"In this sense, we’ll always be your co-workers, will always take the problems emerging in Islam close to heart and will always think along the same lines with you as regards the rebuffing of terrorism."

"We're convinced deeply the joint efforts will help us defeat this evil and will prevent people from getting enmeshes in the vile propaganda that leads up to the betrayal of one's faith," Kirill I said. "If someone takes to killing innocent people, then he renounces of the principles of his faith and by disguising himself in religion he discredits it.".