France terror attack: Muslim elders call for 'serious action' on extremism

The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned Thursday’s terror attack at the Notre-Dame basilica in the French city of Nice, which led to the deaths of three people.

The Council affirms that the recent upsurge in terror and hate attacks requires serious action by countering extremism and criminalising hate speech which may fuel further attacks and other acts of hate.

The Council affirms that religions are not connected to such heinous acts which are only representative of their perpetrators and not their faiths.

The Council wishes to express its utmost condolences to the families of the victims and the people of France as well as all victims of violence and terror around the world.

Meanwhile, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC ) Dr Nayef Falah Mubarak Al Hajraf also denounced the terrorist attack.

Al Hajraf reiterated the firm position of the GCC towards terrorism and extremism and his organisation’s rejection of all kinds, forms, sources and justifications of terrorism, calling for up-rooting it and drying up the sources of its support and finance.

He extended sincere condolence and sympathy to the relatives of the victims and to the friendly people of France.