Medina/Mumbai: Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik on Friday announced that he would not be returning to India this year.
The televangelist had earlier in the day asserted that he was a "messenger of peace" and unequivocally condemned all terror and terrorist activities.
Claiming that his statements were "doctored and tampered out of context", Naik also revealed that he was a "Non-Resident Indian", enjoying residential status in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, plus some other countries, and visited India occasionally, including during the holy Ramadan month.
Condemning in his opening remarks Thursday night's terror attack in Nice, France, which claimed at least 84 lives, Naik termed as "misinformation" that he had ever advocated suicide bombings.
"I have been preaching for 25 years and I have always condemned terror attacks, suicide bombings since in this innocent people are killed and it is 'anti-Islam'," the Mumbai-based preacher said, addressing the media via Skype from Saudi Arabia, where he currently is.
"However, it (suicide attacks) may be used as a tactic of war to save the country, but in all other circumstances where innocents are targeted, it is 'haram' in Islam and condemnable," Naik explained.
Naik's Peace TV and Peace mobile have been banned in Bangladesh following revelations that two of the young Islamist attackers who killed 20 hostages, mostly foreigners, during a Dhaka cafe siege on July 1 drew "inspiration" from his speeches.
