Muslim groups around the world have strongly condemned the deadly terror attacks Friday in Paris that left at least 127 people dead.
The Islamic State, or ISIS, claimed responsibility for the attack Saturday. French President Francois Hollande called the massacre an “act of war committed by a terrorist army.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., described the killings as “heinous” and “horrific.”
“These savage and despicable attacks on civilians, whether they occur in Paris, Beirut or any other city, are outrageous and without justification,” the group said in a statement. “We condemn these horrific crimes in the strongest terms possible. The perpetrators of these heinous attacks must be apprehended and brought to justice.”
RELATED: ISIS claims responsibility, France vows ‘merciless’ response
On Saturday, a coalition of eight leading national and local American Muslim groups, held a press conference in Washington, D.C., to condemn the carnage.
The New York-based Islamic Circle of North America, a member of the coalition group, said the organization “stands united with the people of France” and urged the French authorities to take “swift action in apprehending the perpetrators of this attack and bring them to justice.”
The group’s president, Naeem Baid, added: “This kind of violence is inhuman and barbaric and is not justifiable by any religion.”
The violence took place Friday night. Officials said about 200 people are wounded. French police were hunting for possible accomplices of eight assailants, who attacked concert-goers, cafe diners and soccer fans in at least six locations in the French capital. Authorities said that seven attackers blew themselves up, while the eighth was killed by police.
Hollande vowed a “merciless” response to the deadliest attacks on the country’s soil since World War II. He declared a state of emergency and deployed 1,500 troops.
“Terrorists are not a representative of Islam in any way whatsoever,” Saba Ahmed, president and founder of the Republican Muslim Coalition, told MSNBC. “ISIS should go back to the basic teachings of Islam. They are misusing the teachings of Islam to carry out horrifying atrocities. That’s completely un-Islamic, and they have hijacked our religion. The Muslim community strongly condemns [the attacks].”
Muslim politicians also spoke out against the terror attacks. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said, “On behalf of great nation of Iran who’s suffered evils of terrorism I condemn #ParisAttacks. Our thoughts & prayers are with you.”
Indonesian President Joko Widodo called on countries to “strengthen the international cooperation in handling terrorism issues.”
While federal and local officials said there was no credible or specific intelligence about threats to the U.S., law enforcement agencies are on high alert, especially in major cities including New York and Boston.
NBC News contributed reporting.
Khorri Atkinson