French President: These Extremists Have No Connection to Islam

Francois Hollande, the President of France, emphasized in a televised message on Friday night, January 9, that these extremists and fanatics have no connection to the Islamic religion. His remarks referred to events that began two days earlier in Paris with the attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo and continued with a hostage situation at a Jewish supermarket. Hollande praised the 'courage, bravery, and competence' of the French police, stating that they had achieved their objectives. According to Hollande, France stands firm against threats and will continue to oppose racism and anti-Semitism. He urged the French people to maintain their unity and solidarity, as France needs it now more than ever. Hollande also confirmed that four people were killed during the police's anti-terror operation to end the hostage situation at the Jewish supermarket in Paris. He invited the French public to participate in a national unity march against terrorism on the following Sunday. He stressed the need to use all of France's resources to protect institutions and individuals at risk. Additionally, British Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced they would travel to Paris on Sunday to attend the anti-terrorism demonstration. Cameron tweeted that he accepted Hollande's invitation to the unity march, honoring the values left by Charlie Hebdo. Merkel noted that her presence at the march signifies a strong friendship between France and Germany, expressing her admiration for how the French people united against this brutal attack. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for continued heightened security measures in Jewish neighborhoods in France. In this context, the attackers of Charlie Hebdo were killed, ending the Paris hostage situation with the death of the hostage-taker and four hostages. One of the suspects in the Paris attack was reported to have connections with Al-Qaeda in Yemen.