In
his first interview with an American television network since his magazine was
attacked by Islamist extremists, Gerard Biard, the chief editor of Charlie Hebdo
defended the magazine's controversial depictions of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad,
claiming that cartoon parodies of religious figures actually safeguard freedom
of religion. Biard, in an interview with Chuck Todd that will air in full on
NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday , said the cartoons ensure freedom of religion
because they declare that God must not be a political or public figure, but
instead must be a private one.
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