LOC02:12
23:12 GMT
PARIS, June 25 (KUNA) -- French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb on Monday held consultations with leaders of the Muslim community here as part of an ongoing process to enhance dialogue on a broader, nationwide level, an official statement said.
The meeting also discussed the arrest Sunday of 10 "ultra-right" individuals who were allegedly planning terrorist attacks against Muslim targets in France.
Anti-terrorist police detained the suspects in several locations on mainland France and in Corsica and arms and rudimentary explosive devices were seized.
Collomb discussed the issue of security and concerns of Muslims with a delegation from the French Council for the Muslim Faith (CFCM) and also other issues like training of Imams, cemetery space and construction of badly-needed Mosques.
"As with each meeting with the CFCM, these talks also allowed us to examine together issues of concern for the Muslim community, including the question of security and the protection of places of worship," the French statement noted.
The Interior Minister "reaffirmed the total mobilisation of the entire Ministry to prevent any trouble to public order and any attacks against property or persons".
He cited the arrests of the right-wing activists over the weekend as proof of his determination to prevent attacks against any religions in France.
Collomb also ordered French regional prefects to carry out a nationwide consultative process with Muslim communities and report back before September 15.
Issues to be part of this broad dialogue include institutional representation for Islam in France, governance at religious sites, financing for Islam and training of Imams.
The Interior Ministry also said that it wants the dialogue to include all the diversity that is present in Islam in France.
Islam is the second religion in France, with close to six million Muslims in a population of 65 million. (end)
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