We are shocked and horrified to learn about the murders of over 120 people on Friday evening in Paris. As news unfolds, it is becoming clear that terrorists targeted the cultural and social heart of Paris. As the Turkish Prime Minister has stated, these crimes are a “crime against humanity”.
These multiple attacks show the co-ordination and sophistication of terrorist cells. They bring home the fact that extremism and terrorism are real and ongoing threats to us all and that we must all remain vigilant and that we take a pro-active approach to tackling extremism where we find it within communities. Nor can we allow for communities to be preyed upon by those who promote extremist narratives and who play to a victimisation culture.
Our thoughts are with the families of those killed and those within France. The threat of extremism is a scourge and time and time again, innocent people going about their lives suffer because of the actions of murderers. We must not give their ideology, their networks and their sympathisers any space in which to operate.
Today, France mourns, but France will rise from this and play its leading role in the fight against extremism and terrorism.