France 'At War With Jihadism And Radical Islamism,' Prime Minister Says

By Krishnadev Calamur / NPR

Published January 13, 2015 at 10:04 AM PST

This story was published more than 9 years ago.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls delivers his speech during an homage to the 17 victims of last week terrorist attacks, at the French national Assembly in Paris on Tuesday.

France's prime minister says his country "is at war with terrorism, jihadism and radical Islamism" but not with ordinary Muslims and their religion.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Islam, the country's No. 2 religion, "has its place in France."

After Valls' speech, lawmakers broke into "La Marseillaise," the national anthem, and applause.

Become a KPBS sponsor

Valls' remarks came ahead of a 488-to-1 vote to re-authorize French airstrikes against militants of the Islamic State n Iraq. French law requires a vote every four months to extend such operations.

Earlier today, funerals were held in Paris for the victims of last week's attacks. The two brothers who killed 12 people at the offices of Charlie Hebdo claimed allegiance to al-Qaida while the man who took hostages and killed four people in a Kosher grocery store had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.

France is carrying out airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq – part of a larger international coalition, which include the U.S., that is bombing the militant group at its positions in Iraq and Syria.