Benedict says being pope isn’t easy

Won’t condemn Islam as a whole over terrorism

Pope Benedict XVI said Monday he did not see an anti-Christian motive in the recent wave of terrorist attacks blamed on Islamic extremists, attributing them instead to "a much more general intention."

The pontiff also told reporters it was important to seek dialogue with the best elements of Islam.

He spoke while on vacation in the Italian Alps after visiting a church, brushing off a question about whether he believed Islam was a religion of peace.

"I wouldn’t want to label (it)," he said. "Certainly there are elements that favor peace. It also has other elements."