France's Muslim leaders on Friday urged militants not to defy a ban on protests over cartoons mocking Mohammed as a security alert closed the country's embassies across the Islamic world.

French schools, consulates and cultural centers in 20 Muslim countries were closed along with the embassies for fear of retaliatory attacks over a Paris weekly's publication of the controversial cartoons, which have fuelled protests over the US-made film "Innocence of Muslims."

Mohamed Moussaoui, president of the French Muslim Council (CFCM), said there was widespread anger among France's 4 million Muslims over Charlie Hebdo's cartoons, but he said there was nothing to gain from taking to the streets.

French Interior Minister Manuel Valls has made it clear he will not sanction any demonstrations this weekend.

The ban has exposed the government to accusations of double standards on freedom of expression. Authorization for protests in Paris is normally routine with 3,650 applications having been approved in 2011 and only three turned down, according to Le Monde.

AFP