MOSCOW, January 8 (Sputnik) — There is no threat of Islamophobia in Spain following the terrorist attack on France's Charlie Hebdo magazine, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in a press conference Thursday.
"Surely, I do not see it," Rajoy said, referring to the treat of Islamophobia developing in the country, during a press conference in Andorra. He stated that Spain was a tolerant country, respectful of others' beliefs.
The Prime Minister reminded that Spain's constitution guaranteed certain rights and freedoms, including religious ones. "But Spain will never call a truce with terrorism or those who intend to liquidate the rights and freedoms of others. The enemy is terrorism," Rajoy stated. He added that the presence of Islamist cells in Spain meant that the country "always has to be alert" but the authorities were "ready for this battle."
The Prime Minister expressed his solidarity to France following Wednesday's attack. On Wednesday morning, suspected Islamic extremists attacked the Parisian office of the satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo, killing 12 people, including several famous cartoonists and two police officers.
The magazine previously received threats from Islamists for publishing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. Charlie Hebdo also posted a caricature of the leader of the Islamic State insurgent group on its Twitter account shortly before the attack.
