Criticism of the decision to publish the caricatures of the prophet Muhammad as well as support of freedom of opinion, which is viewed as a fundamental and basic right of any democratic society, were expressed by Signis, the World Catholic Association for Communication, in a release sent out in Brussels. "Freedom of expression reads the release, signed by the secretary general Marc Aellen and by president Augustine Loorthusamy is a right as well as a responsibility, and given the circumstances the publication was irresponsible". Likewise, Signis finds no excuse for "the violence and fanaticism of those who protested" and supports "those Muslims who condemned the violence and invited the protesters to use peaceful methods". A clear condemnation of "all forms of instigation to hatred for religious or ethnic reasons". "The antidote to extremism ends the release is dialogue and mutual knowledge between communities, both religious and secular".
