Mahathir justifies killings in France as world flays attack

Nice (France), October 29

A few hours after a knife-wielding man shouting “Allahu Akbar” beheaded a woman and killed two other people in a suspected terrorist act at a church in the French city of Nice on Thursday, former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad said Muslims had the right to punish the French.

The Nice attack was condemned by India, Turkey, Britain, the Netherlands, the Vatican and the European Commission. PM Narendra Modi tweeted, “Our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and the people of France. India stands with France in the fight against terrorism.”

In a tweet, Mahathir wrote, “Muslims have the right to be angry and kill millions of French for the massacres of the past. The French should teach their people to respect other people’s feelings.”

In another incident, a man wielding a handgun in Montfavet was shot dead by the police. Europe 1, a radio station, reported, “He was also shouting Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest).”

In Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, state television reported that a Saudi man had been arrested in the Red Sea city of Jeddah after attacking and injuring a guard at the French consulate there.

Nice’s Mayor Christian Estrosi said the attack was similar to the beheading earlier this month near Paris of teacher Samuel Paty, who had used cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a civics class. “Enough is enough. Now, it’s time for France to exonerate itself from the laws of peace in order to definitively wipe out Islamo-fascism from our territory,” he said. It was not immediately clear if Thursday’s attack was connected to the cartoons, which Muslims consider blasphemous.

Prime Minister Jean Castex raised France’s security alert to its highest level and said the government’s response would be firm and implacable.

In Paris, lawmakers in the National Assembly observed a minute’s silence in solidarity with the victims. — Reuters

Attacks that rattled Paris

• October 16: Schoolteacher Samuel Paty beheaded in Paris and the assailant killed.
• September 25: Two injured in stabbing in Paris near Charlie Hebdo’s former office.
• October 3, 2019: A man kills 3 cops and one civilian before being shot dead.
• March 23, 2018: A gunman kills three in a supermarket before falling to cops’ bullets.
• July 26, 2016: Two attackers kill a priest and injure another in a church. They were shot dead.
• July 14, 2016: A gunman drives a truck into a crowd, killing 86 people.
• June 14, 2016: A man of Moroccan origin stabs a police officer to death.
• November 13, 2015: Multiple gun and bomb attacks rattle France, killing 130 and injuring 368.

Don’t insult religion: Russia

It is unacceptable to kill people, but also wrong to insult the feelings of religious believers. Russia

Turkey stands in solidarity with the French people against violence and terrorism. Turkish Foreign ministry

Pope Francis is praying for the victims. He has expressed solidarity with the Catholic community in France. Vatican

I am appalled. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. The UK stands with France against terror and intolerance. UK PM

In the fight against extremism you are not alone. The Netherlands stands beside you. Dutch PM Mark Rutte

It’s an odious and a brutal attack. Europe stands with France and remains united in the face of barbarism. EU President Ursula Von Der Leyen

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