U.S. Muslim leaders respond to France attacks

A coalition of U.S. Muslim groups condemned the series of terror attacks that rocked the city of Paris on Friday and urged Americans not to associate all Muslims with the Islamic State, who reportedly claimed responsibility for the acts of terror.

"ISIS does not represent Muslims," said Nihad Awad, the executive director and founder of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, speaking at a press conference Saturday in Washington, D.C. "The majority of the victims of ISIS attacks are Muslim. ... Lets not legitimize ISIS and help them in their propaganda by calling them the Islamic State. They're not Islamic, they're not state."

"We find sometimes ourselves in a awkward position that having to come to defend ourselves and defend our faith against claims by ISIS and other people," Nihad said later during a question and answer session. He added that the overwhelming majority of Muslims worldwide condemn these attacks and condemn ISIS and its affiliates.

"We question sometimes the judgment of people when they try to paint the entire Muslim population with one brush," said Nihad.

Leaders from the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations said they stand in solidarity with the people of France "against terrorism and violent extremism."

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