Muslim Who Saved Lives During Attack on Paris Kosher Grocery Awarded French Citizenship

Lassana Bathily hid several shoppers in basement when gunman burst in upstairs in Paris kosher supermarket; Bathily 'enriches us by joining French nation,' official says.

Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve praised Muslim Lassana Bathily, 24, for his "courage" and "heroism" during a ceremony Tuesday in the presence of Prime Minister Manuel Valls.

Cazeneuve said Bathily's "act of humanity has become a symbol of an Islam of peace and tolerance."

Bathily was in the store's underground stockroom when gunman Amedy Coulibaly burst in upstairs on January 9 and killed four people. He turned off the stockroom's freezer and hid a group of shoppers inside before sneaking out through a fire escape to speak to police and help them with their operation to free the 15 hostages and kill the attacker.

Bathily emigrated to France from Mali in 2006. France has decided to award him French nationality for his bravery during the attacks.

Bathily is "a righteous one among the righteous who should serve as a role model to our youth," Pierre Henry, the president of the French government's refugee assistance agency, said, according to NBC.

"Lassana Bathily enriches us by joining the French nation," Henry said, NBC reported.

LWDLIK - A few things I found very uplifting about this story: 

1. The above article was found on http://www.haaretz.com/ not that I ever read the Jewish daily news but when googling info on the story this article was in the top 3. [link]. 

2. Bathily, a Black Malian Muslim was employed by the Jewish kosher supermarket in Paris that was beseiged by terrorist, Ahmed Coulibaly. Kinda refutes the idea of all Jews being racist and anti-Muslim.

3. Bathily during a speech he gave on Euro News this morning also said he was very sad to lose his colleague and friend, Yohan Cohen, with whom he would chat and joke with daily. Yohan Cohen, 22, was one of the four Jewish victims shot dead by terrorist, Ahmed Coulibaly,  inside the kosher supermarket.

Maybe Jews and Muslims can really get along, if allowed to.