PARIS, September 18 (IslamOnline.net) - French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy threatened Thursday, September 18, to expel Muslim "radicals" and to close mosques preaching "Islamic fundamentalism."

In an interview published by Le Figaro, Sarkozy warned he would not hesitate to take strong action if necessary.

"Mosques where fundamentalism is preached will be shut down, imams who express radical views will be expelled and speakers who do not guarantee respect for the Republic's rules will see their entrance visas refused," he thundered.

"I do not negotiate with extremists. I have a dialogue with the (five-million strong) Muslim community in France as it is, in all its diversity," the tough-talking interior minister added.

In another interview with Le Monde De Religion magazine, the staunch secularism advocate asserted he wanted to see a "French Islam" and not "an Islam" in France.

Sarkozy said Muslims in France should adapt with the secular nature of the country.

Muslim girls wearing hijab in schools should take off their hijab before entering schools "just as I take off my shoes when I come in a mosque," he argued.

The minister, however, did not go for enacting a law forbidding wearing religious signs in schools, pointing out that dialogue should always remain a meeting point for all ethnic communities in France.

The issue of hijab has recently sparked much controversy in France, especially after the establishment of the first Muslim representative body in the country.

Sarkozy also defended himself as not being in a hurry when he gave the go-ahead to the establishment of France's first Muslim council.

"Muslims came to France since 1950s and the (Muslim) council has only come to light in 2003," he said.

The interior minister asserted that France should also stand up to what he called "fundamentalist secularism" as it did with "Islamic fundamentalism."

"If religious extremism represented a stumbling block that should be cleared, secular extremism should be fought by the same token," said Sarkozy.

"One should counter secular fundamentalism which denies anyone his/her right to freedom of religion and to preach faith to their fellow ones as long as it represents no threats to the (French) society," he added.

The minister further said that religion could be a sign of peace and balance for all societies.

"Secularism, in which I do believe, is by no means a competitor to religion," Sarkozy asserted, citing the freedom of religion law.

"If religion had not been that important, the republic would have not asserted its importance in its constitution," he argued.

Sarkozy said that the second item of the aforesaid law stipulated that "the republic does not adopt any religion," which means, he added, that France is a secular country but does acknowledge the importance of religion.

He underlined how important it is for school students to be acquainted with the world's major religions.

"It is the best way to combat fundamentalism and to head off a clash of religions," added the minister.

He also stressed that religion is vital for the youth, highlighting the key role played by the Catholic Church at the beginning of this century in maintaining the social balance of society.

"There is no conflict between religion and the republic…Both of them could coexist," Sarkozy said.