Hollande condemns attack on Muslim prayer hall in Corsica

AA Muslim Prayer hall in the French island of Corsica was ravaged by fire on Saturday in what prosecutors said was probably a criminal attack, reports The Gulf Today.
The blaze occurred just months after the island, popular with tourists for its turquoise waters and picturesque mountains, was rocked by riots over Christmas.
French president François Hollande vowed a swift investigation into the blaze, and action if necessary.
"If it is confirmed to be of criminal origin, those responsible must be rapidly identified and brought to justice," he said.
"Any anti-religious act must not be tolerated," he added in a statement.
The building, one of the largest Prayer halls in the capital Ajaccio, suffered major damage in the fire, said Abdallah Zekri, the head of the National Observatory Against Islamophobia.
He called on the authorities "to do everything to shed light on this incident in order to avoid an escalation of violence." "It has been calm since the end of the year, but unfortunately certain ill-intentioned people want to inflame the situation," he told AFP.