Finally, the murder reinforced one of the core Western stereotypes of Islam: its inherently violent nature. Bouyeri articulated his motives in the context of his Muslim faith, giving the impression that Islam promotes violence against anyone who disagrees with its teachings. The fact that the media sometimes framed Bouyeri’s actions as a "holy war" bolstered the perception that Islam was at war with the West and that the battleground was now Europe.

XREF: Connects to broader discussions of media framing, stereotyping, and how individual acts get generalized to entire religious groups.

Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Intro…, loc. 387