Minister condemns exclusion of Muslims

The social exclusion of young Muslims in France partly explains their radicalization, and the government must give people from poor suburbs more hope of success to reduce the risk of more violent attacks, a Cabinet minister said on Sunday.

Since the Nov 13 attacks in Paris, which killed 130 people and stunned France, several senior ministers and opposition leaders have said poverty or discrimination could not excuse violence.

But, shifting the emphasis in the debate, Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron told Canal Plus television: "Exclusion is a fact of life in France. I am not saying that this explains or excuses what has happened, but those young people who have been radicalized ... often have no more faith in society."