A man suspected of stabbing to death a Muslim worshipper in a mosque in France is still at large a day after the attack, authorities have said.
The incident, which took place on Friday in the former mining town of La Grand-Combe, in the south of France, was described as “Islamophobic” by Prime Minister Francois Bayrou.
President Emmanuel Macron said the victim was “horribly murdered”, in a statement posted on social media.
Both men were alone in the mosque when the suspect attacked.
The assailant reportedly recorded the attack on his phone and security footage showed him shouting insults at “Allah”, which means God in Arabic, local media reported.
Justice minister Gerald Darmanin called it a “despicable murder” that “wounds the hearts of all believers, of all Muslims in France”.
Mr Bayrou added: “We stand with the victim’s loved ones and with the shocked believers.”
The Grand Mosque of Paris condemned the attack and said the victim had just finished cleaning the mosque when he was killed.
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It called on authorities to say whether the attack was being treated as a “terrorist” act.
A protest march is being organised for later on Sunday.
