Local leaders say they are horrified by the terror attack in France

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The tragic and frightening images out of Nice, France, are saddening to so many, include people here in the Central Valley. After a 31-year-old Tunisian man used an 8-ton truck to run over then shoot and kill more than 80 people during a Bastille Day celebration.

We caught up with Congressman Jim Costa as he returned from Washington, D.C. who said he was just in the Hague, Netherlands discussing international security with officials from France.

Costa is a member of the Transatlantic Legislators Dialogue and said France needs to do more to stop terrorism.

"The French have gone through their own changes. They're trying to adopt security measures like we have had in place since 9/11 here with the Patriot Act."

Costa said European countries are communicating more with the United States than they are with each other. It's important for them to share information.

"This just reminds all of us we have to be successful every day. The terrorists only have to be successful once," said Costa.

As local Muslims gathered at the Masjid Fresno Islamic Center on Shaw, Dr. Elsayed Ramadan condemned the attack. He added that the suspect, Mohamed Bouhlel, clearly doesn't follow their religion's prayers for peace.

"These people are actually, I would say, they are out of the fall of Islam. Anyone who kills an innocent person, according to the Quran, it is as if he is killing all of mankind," said Dr. Ramadan.

France's president called the killings a terror attack, with extremist groups celebrating the massacre.

Dr. Ramadan said Islam is innocent of the attack which he called "barbaric."

"Those people do not represent Islam, they don't represent us. They don't belong to us. They don't reflect the real image of Islam which calls for Peace."

The Fresno City Singers are currently on a performance tour in France. They just left Paris Friday.

College officials have been in touch with the group since the attack Thursday.

The group is scheduled to tour Nice Friday and Saturday.