Moderate Muslim groups in Malaysia condemn Charlie Hebdo shooting

Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) CEO Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said the truth of Islam will prevail, so there is no need for such violence to take place.

"I understand the anxiety over the satirical antics of the publication. However, Islam calls for patience and truth.

"I disapprove the antics of the organisation but I also strongly condemn the killing," he told Astro AWANI when contacted today.

Saifuddin also advised Muslims to practise restrain in this kind of situation.

Meanwhile, Movement for a Just World (JUST) chairman Dr Chandra Muzaffar said the solution to the problem of the weekly publishing cartoons of Prophet Muhammad, and in manners which are mocking Islam, is certainly not murder.

"They can write about it, they can expose the cartoon, they can expose the cartoonist. But that is no justification for killing people.

"If Muslims are behind this incident, it should be condemned. There is no way Islam condones killing people over such things.

"A true Muslim knows that this sort of massacre is against Islam," he said.

Dr Chandra also said there should be a comprehensive investigation carried out to find out the culprits.

Masked gunmen armed with AK-47s and shouting "Allahu Akbar" stormed the Charlie Hebdo offices on Wednesday in a terror attack that left 12 people dead, including the editor and two police officers.

Charlie Hebdo gained notoriety in February 2006 when it reprinted cartoons of the Prophet that had originally appeared in Danish daily Jyllands-Posten.