Hezbollah chief: Extremists harm Islam more than cartoons

The leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah group says Islamic extremists have insulted Islam and the Prophet Muhammad more than those who published satirical cartoons mocking the religion.

Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah did not directly mention the Paris attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo that left 12 people dead, and the subsequent hostage crises, but he said Islamic extremists who behead and slaughter people — a reference to the IS group’s rampages in Iraq and Syria — have done more harm to Islam than anyone else in history, AP reports.

Nasrallah spoke Friday via video link to supporters gathered in southern Beirut.

Nasrallah’s Shiite group is fighting in Syria alongside President Bashar Assad.

His remarks are in stark contrast to those of Sunni terrorists from the IS group and al-Qaida who have called for attacks on Western countries.