Muslim groups in Minnesota condemned the attacks on U.S. diplomatic compounds in Libya and Egypt, calling them horrendous and inconsistent with the Muslim faith.

The Islamic Resource Group (IRG) released a statement that said it was against the violence "in the strongest possible terms."

"The parties responsible for these events in both nations claimed to be reacting to an online film considered offensive to Islam," according to IRG's statement. "It is a greater defamation of the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed and the Qur'an to react with violence and murder of innocent people -- one of the greatest sins in Islam -- than any claimed insult from an Islamophobic film."

Makram El-Amin, an imam at the Masjid An-Nur mosque in north Minneapolis, where U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison worships, said in an interview that members of the local Muslim community had also condemned the attacks via social media.

"We will stand in unity against these attacks and the appalling killing of the diplomat [U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens], who was there on a peaceful mission," El-Amin said.

ROSE FRENCH