ANKARA
Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Omer Celik has condemned Wednesday's gang shooting on offices of French satirical magazine "Charlie Hebdo" that left 12 people dead and 20 other injured.
"We openly and unconditionally condemn this attack and its perpetrators regardless of their identities and nationalities, said Celik as he attended a conference of commercial counsellors at Turkish Economy Ministry.
Three masked men armed with Kalashnikov automatic rifles and a rocket-launcher attacked people inside the Paris headquarters of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo earlier on Wednesday, killing at least 12 people and injuring many others, four critically, before they fled the building.
Celik also offered his condolences to the people of France for the victims of the deadly attack.
Turkey's culture minister warned that the attack would possibly have global impacts in the long term.
He also pointed out the way international news agencies broadcast its news which refers to it as an "attack on magazine publishing caricatures of Prophet Muhammad."
The magazine sparked controversy back in 2006 and 2012 for publishing comic cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.
Celik maintained that use of such language by the press would mean a support to a "wrong effort to manipulate the public perception."
"Each sentence that links Islam and Muslims to this attack and its perpetrators would serve both Islamophobia and xenophobia," he noted.
Celik cautioned that it would lead to negative perception of the world of Islam in the eye of Europe, saying "it is exactly what the assailants aimed at."
The minister also called for an act against terror in unity and integrity with the European politicians .
"We can never tolerate attributing what they do -- no matter what their religion or nationalities are -- to Islam or Muslims," he added.
Celik further argued that such attributions harm the values of civilization that are unique to Europe.
"By acting so, they are much more empowering the radical policies, radical rightist and other extremist racist groups in Europe," he said.
Turkish minister reiterated that they regard such attacks as a heinous murder and condemn it unconditionally.
He also offered to France Turkey's experience in fight against terrorism and expressed readiness for coordination at any time,
"In face of terror, we will continue to curse and condemn the perpetrators of terror no matter what their religions, sects or nationalities are," he said.
