Coptic Christians joined Muslim leaders at news conference in Los Angeles to denounce the violence in the Middle East and the anti-Muslim film blamed for starting it all.

Coptic Bishop Serapion said Nakoula Baselley Nakoula, the man suspected of making the film, told him he didn't do it.

Serapion added that whoever is responsible for the film does not represent Christianity or the Coptic Orthodox Church.

"We find there is no justification to do such kind of movie, and there is no justification to retaliate or attack the Coptic community," he said a news conference Monday.

Meanwhile Maher Hathout, an official with the Muslim Affairs Council, said that Muslims who react violently are not true followers of Islam.

"Those are neither Muslims nor Copts - those are people who are psychologically diseased, with hearts full of hate and minds full of ignorance," he charged.

"There should have been no bloodshed," he continued. "As a matter of fact, there should have been no reaction to such an insignificant production."