Gulf countries condemn Paris attacks

Saudi Arabia led Gulf Arab states today in condemning the gun and bomb attacks in Paris that killed at least 128 people and injured 180.
"I wanted to express our condolences to the government and people of France for the heinous terrorist attacks that took place yesterday, which are in violation and contravention of all ethics, morals and religions," Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said.
The president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, also condemned last night's attacks as "heinous crimes" and said the UAE would "spare no effort... To fight terrorism in all its forms," state news agency WAM reported.

The Islamic State group claimed the attacks in an online statement today.
The top Sunni Muslim religious authority in the oil-rich kingdom, the council of senior ulemas, said the attacks with also injured dozens were "contrary to Islam and its principles".
It also claimed IS was "the product of the regime" of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - who earlier had said "mistaken (French) policies... Had contributed to the spread of terrorism".

The Qatari foreign ministry condemned the "armed attacks and bombings" in a statement cited by official agency QNA, saying they "contradict all moral and humanitarian principles and values".
There were also condemnations from Bahrain and Kuwait, and from Abdellatif Zayani, head of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) which also includes Oman.

The Saudi foreign minister made his remarks in Vienna where he is attending international talks aimed at finding a solution to end the four year war in Syria, where IS holds swathes of territory.
Since September last year, French warplanes based at Al-Dhafra airbase near Abu Dhabi have been flying missions against IS in Iraq.
France extended its attacks on IS to Syria in September this year.