FRANCE: NOTRE DAME DE LA SAUVEGARDE CHURCH IN LYON VICTIM OF ARSON ATTACK

FRANCE: PRESIDENT CONDEMNS ARSON ATTACK ON LYON CHURCH


Paris, 13 Nov. (AKI) - France's president Jacques Chirac on Monday deplored this weekend's arson attack on a church in the major French city of Lyon, and urged the government to do its utmost to apprehend the perpetrators of the "hateful act....who will be severely punished." The blaze late on Saturday destroyed the sacristy of the Notre Dame de la Sauvegarde church, located in the city's deprived La Duchere district.

Chirac said in a statement he had learned "with upset and indignation" of the attack and "strongly condemned the hateful act". He said he had assured his "solidarity and sympathy" over the attack to Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, the Archbishop of Lyon and to the entire Catholic Church.

The head of the Rhone Alpes region's Muslim council (CRCM) and the Othmane Mosque, Azzedine Gaci, also issued on Monday a statement deploring the arson attack on Notre Dame de la Sauvegarde as an "ignominious act" and expressing his "solidarity with the church's parishioners."

"At the difficult time this country is going through, we must join forces to oppose those who seek to perpetrate violence and provoke our society," Azzedine added, calling for "progress towards tolerance and dialogue." A CRCM delegation was due on Monday to visit the church's priest, Father Cristin, to express its concern over the incident, Azzedine said.

No-one has claimed responsibility for the incident, which is being investigated by police.

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1) FRANCE: PRESIDENT CONDEMNS ARSON ATTACK ON LYON CHURCH