Egypt condemned on Sunday two attacks in the Danish capital, Copenhagen, state television reported. The first attack took place in a café, where a free speech event was being held, when armed men opened fire, leaving one person dead and three police officers injured. The meeting was attended by Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, who has been repeatedly threatened over his caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. Several media outlets reported that the meeting was also attended by François Zimeray, the French ambassador to Denmark. The attack was followed by another in front of a synagogue, where a man was shot dead and two others injured Though there was no indication of the attacker's motives, social media networks claim the involvement of religious affiliations with the attack. Foreign Ministry spokesman Badr Abdel Atty emphasised the importance of respecting religious symbols, especially the Prophet, out of respect for the global Muslim population. However Abdel Atty noted this does not, in any way, justify the use of violence against others. Last week, three Muslims were shot dead in Chapel Hill in North Carolina, with no clear motives. However it is widely believed that the attack had a religious bases. Egypt's Dar Al-Ifta warned against rising Islamophobia in the West, where several anti-Islam marches swept several European countries, including Germany, Austria and Sweden. Anti-Islamic sentiments reportedly came in response to rising militancy across the world in the name of Islam. These include the Islamic State in Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS), their affiliates, and Al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula (AQAP) who claimed the shooting against the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, that left 12 dead. ISIS has also claimed several deadly attacks, including the burning alive of a Jordanian pilot, who served as part of the broad coalition led by the US against ISIS. The militant group also claimed the beheading of two Japanese hostages. On Friday, "Islamic State" in Libya further claimed the kidnapping and killing of 21 Coptic Egyptian fishermen in Libya. The group published photographs of 21 abducted Copts in Libya in red jumpsuits, guarded by personnel in black clothing and swords. Egypt's Foreign Ministry announced Sunday its participation in a video conference held for spokesmen of a number of countries taking part in the coalition against ISIS. Abdel Atty said that the Foreign Ministry, along with Al-Azhar and Dar Al-Ifta, sent a written contribution to the content of the media message that distinguishes between true Islam and the ideologies broadcasted by "terrorist groups, which incite violence and killing".
