The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, the world’s leading Sunni Islamic authority, condemned on Thursday the terrorist attack at the Notre Dame Church in Nice, France which killed three people. In a statement, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb referred to the attack as an “abhorrent terrorist attack” and said that nothing can “justify these disgusting terrorist attacks which defy the peaceful teachings of Islam”. Sheikh Al-Tayeb added that it is necessary to take steps to counter all acts of violence and extremism, warning of the escalation of hate rhetoric and violence in response to the recent terrorist attack. The Sheikh stressed that the attacks do not define Islam. Meanwhile, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on behalf of the Egyptian government condemning “in the strongest terms” the terrorist attack. “Egypt expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the victims, and the speedy recovery to the injured, affirming the Egyptian Government stands with the Republic of France and the French people,” read the statement. “[These acts] are totally incompatible with human nature and the teachings of all divine religions”. What happened in Nice? On the morning of Thursday 29 October, a…
