Story highlights Council on Islamic-American Relations says comments add to "toxic anti-Muslim atmosphere"

Jerry Falwell Jr. tells CNN he wants Liberty University students "to be prepared"

"If more good people had concealed-carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they kill," he says

(CNN) At a time when most college campuses prohibit guns, Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. thinks the opposite should be the case -- urging his school's students to be armed, especially in light of this week's massacre in San Bernardino, California.

"I always thought that if more good people had concealed-carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they walk in and kill," he said.

Those comments from Falwell -- a son of the late evangelist, conservative political activist and Liberty University founder -- spurred vigorous applause from thousands of students gathered Friday night for Liberty's weekly convocation. In a phone interview Saturday with CNN, Falwell said he wasn't talking about all Muslims, just those who perpetrate attacks.

His comments drew a reaction from Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on Islamic-American Relations. He said Falwell's remarks "amped up" inflammatory rhetoric toward Muslims.

"It's part of an overall toxic anti-Muslim atmosphere that we're seeing, particularly in the past few weeks with Paris and San Bernardino," Hooper said. "Anti-Muslim bigotry was still on the fringes after 9/11. But it's moving toward the mainstream thanks to Donald Trump, Ben Carson and these type of comments."