France, April 30 -- The fatal stabbing of a Muslim worshiper in a mosque in southern France has sparked controversy over the handling of Islamophobic crimes, with Muslim leaders and the victim's family criticising what they consider to be a delayed and inadequate government response. MPs held a minute's silence for the young victim on Tuesday, but only after political pressure reversed an initial refusal.

Aboubakar Cisse, a 22-year-old Malian man who worked as a carpenter and volunteered at the La Grand-Combe mosque near the town of Ales, was stabbed multiple times while praying alone in the mosque last Friday morning.

The main suspect, identified as a 21-year-old French national Olivier A, reportedly filmed the attack and posted it on ...