"If the objective of the terrorists is to divide us, we all together - the countries of the European Union but also Christians, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Jews - must say no," he told the Italian news agency SIR.

"Europe shows the world that fanaticism makes no sense," he said. Terrorists "cannot bear that this [European] project, based on common values, is possible."

Cardinal Hollerich said radical Islamists may have struck now because of the pandemic crisis. "People in Europe are in anguish. They're locked down, they're afraid … the disease continues to circulate," he said. "We know that anguish can turn into aggression."

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