Council on American-Islamic relations condemnation

The Council on American-Islamic relations, an advocacy group in the US, has condemned the "bloody massacre" in Nice, and criticised a US politician's call for Muslims to undergo a "religion test" or face deportation.

"We condemn this bloody massacre as we have condemned previous ISIS or ISIS-inspired atrocities and the deviant ideology that produces such senseless and cowardly violence," CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said in a statement. "We are praying for the people of Nice, the victims of another outrageous attack on humanity."

Awad also criticised statements by Newt Gingrich, a Republican politician and former speaker of the House of Representatives, who said on Thursday night that every Muslim in the US should be "tested" to see if they believe in imposing Islamic law.

"When former House Speaker Newt Gingrich suggests that American Muslims be subjected to an Inquisition-style religious test and then expelled from their homes and nation, he plays into the hands of terror recruiters and betrays the American values he purports to uphold," Awad said.

Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, formerly director of the US Defence Intelligence Agency under President Barack Obama, also went on the offensive following the attack.

Flynn, a supporter of Donald Trump, also slammed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for donning a hijab.