The Maltese Muslim community yesterday condemned the "criminal, savage and terrorist attacks" on Christian churches in Iraq.

The community said that Islam taught religious freedom, tolerance and peaceful coexistence among the followers of all faiths. Islam called upon Muslims to maintain and protect the sanctity of the places of worship and the immunity of the people of all religions.

"The existence of thousands of churches and synagogues and millions of Christians and Jews in various Islamic countries since the advent of Islam till the very day is crystal clear evidence of the tolerance of Islam.

"Therefore, any aggression against the peaceful Christians and Jews or against their places of worship is considered an aggression against the mosques and against Islam.

"Targeting mosques as well as churches in Iraq is a heinous and cowardly act which aims at sparking sectarian hatred and blind violence in order to defame Islam and the values of Iraqi people, destroy Iraqi national unity and deprive the Iraqi people from attaining true independence."

The Maltese Muslim community said it wanted to extend its sincere condolence to the families of the Iraqi Muslim and Christian victims, praying Allah, the Almighty "to have mercy upon the dead, to heal the wounded and to make peace prevail over Iraq and the whole world".