French parliament holds minute's silence for Muslim worshipper killed in mosque

Man suspected of stabbing Malian to death then filming his victim has surrendered to police

Ministers and MPs observe a minute's silence in tribute to Aboubakar Cisse, a Muslim worshipper who was killed in a mosque at La Grand-Combe. AFP

French politicians on Tuesday observed a minute's silence to honour Aboubakar Cisse, a young Malian man who was stabbed to death in a mosque, while a cousin of the victim said the family did not feel safe in the country.

Friday's killing of Mr Cisse, 22, caused shock, prompting French President Emmanuel Macron to say there was no place for religious hate in French society and Prime Minister Francois Bayrou to denounce an "Islamophobic" crime.

France is home to the largest Muslim community in the European Union and the murder has put pressure on right-wing ministers with a tough stance on immigration. Some critics say the crime symbolises a rise in anti-Muslim attacks.

"To his family and friends, on behalf of all of us, I would like to express our deepest condolences. To all our Muslim compatriots, I wish to express our solidarity", National Assembly speaker Yael Braun-Pivet said in parliament.

She also urged politicians to reject "any political exploitation of this tragedy."

Some politicians had earlier said Ms Braun-Pivet did not initially back the idea amid resistance from the likes of far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

After the moment of silence, observed by all the legislators present in the parliament, the session grew tense, with one hard left politician, Abdelkader Lahmar, calling for the dismissal of Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau.

Mr Retailleau has been criticised for not going to the scene of the stabbing or taking the time to meet the victim's family.

Relatives of Aboubakar Cisse, politicians and members of the Malian community deliver a press conference, at the National Assembly in Paris. AFP

Last Friday, after initially praying alongside Mr Cisse in the southern village of La Grand-Combe, the alleged murderer stabbed the worshipper dozens of times and then filmed him with a mobile phone while shouting insults against Islam.

The suspect, a French national born in Lyon in 2004 and named only as Olivier A., surrendered to police in Italy on Monday after nearly three days on the run.

Earlier on Tuesday, a number of politicians met the victim's family at the parliament.

"We wanted to assure them of the support of the National Assembly", said Green MP Sabrina Sebaihi, pointing to "serious" failings on the part of the government, including Mr Retailleau.

"Bruno Retailleau took more than 48 hours to react," she said.

"It is an obviously Islamophobic act", added Socialist leader Olivier Faure.

Mr Cisse's cousin, Yoro Cisse, said that no member of the government had contacted him or other members of the family.

"We only saw their support on social media," he told AFP.

Yoro Cisse said the family wanted to convey the message "that we don't feel safe, that we are afraid".

"We want to feel safe," he said. "France is a country we love. We want to feel like everyone else."

Speaking in parliament, Mr Bayrou said people in France had a duty to live in peace and respect each other's differences.

"Step by step, day by day, we will defend our duty to live together", he said.

"We have a duty to build something that brings us together, that makes us grow and that makes us understand each other, however different we may be", he added