Criticism of religion

France will be bolder and more active in its policies against radical Islam, the country's ambassador to Bulgaria Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes said on Thursday.

The 7th of January is stained as a sad day, a black day for humanity, for eternity. I just watched the movie "Munich" by Steven Spielberg on Tuesday and on Wednesday the attack on Charlie Hebdo occurred. In the movie, one of the Israeli operatives says to the team leader that they should use guns to make sure that their targets are dead, instead of bombs.

Thousands of people gathered at Place de la Republique in Paris on Wednesday evening in a vigil to pay tribute to the victims of the massacre at the office of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, newswires reported.

President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday that the terrorist attack on the offices of the French magazine Charlie Hebdo was "cruel and cowardly". The head of state voiced his compassion for the victims' families and solidarity with the French nation.

Photo credit: (c) Alex MICSIK / AGERPRES PHOTO

Two Islamist newspapers in Turkey have drawn ire on social media with their headlines that "justified" the deadly attack on a French satirical newspaper.

Hours after gunmen stormed the offices of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in Paris, chanting "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest), Yeni Akit newspaper chose the title, "Attack on the magazine that provoked Muslims."

The terrorist attack on the Paris-based offices of Charlie Hebdo weekly is one of revolting cowardice on the media and the civilised world and represents an attack on the core of democracy, on the fundamental values and freedoms, Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu said in a press release to AGERPRES on Wednesday.

Photo credit: (c) Liviu SOVA / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

Two Turkish government ministers have condemned the deadly shooting attack on a French satirical newspaper, while also calling on Europe to tackle the rise of Islamophobia.

An attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has claimed at least 11 lives and has left ten people wounded, according to officials.

Five of those injured are in a critical condition, AFP officials say.

A major operation is under way in Paris as police are seeking to hunt down the perpetrators, the BBC reports.

One of Turkey’s most popular Islamic preachers is Nihat Hatipoğlu, a professor of theology who runs a top-rated TV show. Some of the questions his pious audience asked him during an episode last year included:

One of Turkey’s answers to American “televangelists,” Islamic theologian Nihat Hatipoğlu, initiated a debate last week with his reckless remarks about atheists. Speaking on his popular TV show, he first said: “I do not believe that any atheist is negating God. Those who say so are lying. Because all of them say ‘Allah’ when they are in trouble.”