MOSCOW (Sputnik) — US Presidential frontrunner from the Democratic Party Hillary Clinton condemned her Republican rivals Ted Cruz and Donald Trump over their calls for a crackdown on Muslim communities in the United States.
"When Republican candidates like Ted Cruz call for treating American Muslims like criminals and for racially profiling predominantly Muslim neighborhoods, it’s wrong, it’s counterproductive, it’s dangerous," Clinton said, as quoted by the The Hill newspaper.
Such suggestions would only serve to alienate all Muslims, while the US authorities need Muslim communities to help detect signs of radicalized individuals, the former secretary of state reportedly argued.
"Turning our back on our alliances or turning our alliance into a protection racket would reverse decades of bipartisan American leadership and would send a dangerous signal to friend and foe alike," the Democratic frontrunner said.
Over 30 people were killed and 300 injured in a series of terrorist attacks in the Belgian capital on Tuesday. The attacks were claimed by the Islamic State extremist group, outlawed both in Russia and the United States, as well as a number of other countries.
Following the attacks, Clinton said that Washington must expand its security ties with Europe against jihadist terror attacks and other security threats facing the continent.