The French police authorities have been investigating the terrorist attack in Nice and have arrested 6 people so far. Anika Khan reports.
On Thursday Morning, Brahim Aouissaoui entered Notre Dame de’l Assopmtion basilica and attacked several people inside leaving three fatal deaths. The authorities have arrested six people for questioning.
After the incident, Churches across France went under extra protection. The country’s security alerts were raised to its highest level.
On Sunday evening, Notre Dame Basilica held a ceremony of “contemplation”. Thousands of Muslims were present in the ceremony to show their respect for the victims of the last week’s attack.
Lahouary Siali, an imam in Toulouse, said that the terrorists have no spirits or reason and interpret the holy Qur’an as they please. He asked, “In the name of what philosophy, what spirituality have you come to take the lives of innocent people?”
Moreover, a group of Muslims, turned out to protect their local cathedral churches after the attack. They said they were fed up with the stigmatized insults on social media and wanted to convey the real harmony of their religion.
France has different communities of people living together for centuries. There has never been such tension between the cathedrals and the mosques.
However, the recent attacks in France have led to vandalism against mosques across the country. Two people were arrested over the weekend for spraying graffiti on the mosque at Panitin. The mosque was closed for six months after a video broadcasted Samuel Paty’s course where pupils were seen caricaturing the Prophet, Muhammad. Four mosques in Rouen received threatening reports. In South Drome, a Muslim prayer hall was tagged with crosses.
