Posted on 05/15/2005 5:50:12 AM PDT by Commander Salamander
Claim that the Holy book was defiled by US guards at Guantanamo Bay has incensed Muslims AT LEAST nine people were killed yesterday as a wave of anti-American demonstrations swept the Islamic world from the Gaza Strip to the Java Sea, sparked by a single paragraph in a magazine alleging that US military interrogators had desecrated the Koran. As Washington scrambled to calm the outrage, Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, promised an inquiry and punishment for any proven offenders. But at Friday prayers in the Muslim world many preachers demanded vengeance and afterwards thousands took to the streets, burning American flags.
Although the original report in Newsweek was small, it was re-broadcast by television networks such as al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya and in Pakistan it was quoted by Imran Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician, at a press conference. He said it would strengthen the impression that America’s War on Terror was against Muslims.
The most violent protests were in Afghanistan, where the death toll in clashes between demonstrators and security forces reached fourteen after a third day of rioting. Three people were killed and twenty-two injured near Faizabad, in Badakhshan province, when a thousand rioters burnt down aid agencies’ offices.
Worshippers in Pakistan poured on to the streets after prayers, chanting “Death to America”, and burning American flags. In Jakarta, hundreds gathered noisily at a mosque. Thousands marched through the streets of a Palestinian refugee camp in Gaza.
The unrest began this week after Newsweek published an allegation that American military interrogators had desecrated the Islamic holy book in an effort to rattle detainees at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. The report said that they had placed the Koran on the lavatory inside inmates’ cells and had “in at least one case, flushed a holy book down the toilet” .
The report was condemned by the Pakistani Government, and Khurshid Kasuri, the Foreign Minister, demanded an apology and severe punishment for any soldier found guilty. Hardline Islamic groups said that they would hold protests but before that could happen violent protests erupted in Afghanistan.
Significantly, Saudi Arabia, a key US regional ally which is usually slow in speaking out, became the first Arab state to comment officially yesterday, expressing “deep indignation” and calling for a quick investigation and for the perpetrators to be punished.
The report was denounced initially by the US chargé d’affaires in Kabul and then by the Pentagon and the State Department. As unrest gathered pace, Dr Rice issued an appeal: “I want to speak directly to Muslims in America and throughout the world. Disrespect for the Holy Koran is not now, nor has it ever been, nor will it ever be, tolerated by the United States. Disrespect for the Holy Koran is abhorrent to us all.
“There have been recent allegations about disrespect for the Holy Koran by interrogators at Guantanamo Bay and that has deeply offended many people. Our military authorities are investigating these allegations fully. If they are proven true, we will take appropriate action.
“Guaranteeing religious rights is of great personal importance to the President and to me. During the past few days, we have heard from our Muslim friends around the world about their concerns on this matter. We understand and we share their concerns.
“Sadly, some people have lost their lives in violent demonstrations. I am asking that all our friends around the world reject incitement to violence by those who would mischaracterise our intentions.”
The riots in Afghanistan were the worst displays of anti-US sentiment since the fall of the Taleban in 2002. Four protesters were shot dead on the second day of demonstrations in Jalalabad, a stronghold of the rebel commander Gulbuddin Hekmatyer, and at least three others died in protests the next day. Aid offices were attacked in the capital, Kabul, and more people died yesterday when protests spread to Ghazni and Badakhshan.
Thousands of Muslims gathered in Pakistan’s main cities yesterday after sermons in mosques denouncing the desecration, and effigies of President Bush and of their leader, President Musharraf, were burnt.
Hardliners also led the protest in Gaza, where Hamas organised a march of thousands of Palestinians through the Jabalya refugee camp yesterday. “The Holy Koran was defiled by the dirtiest of hands, by American hands,” a protester shouted as others burnt American and Israeli flags. The Muslim Council of Britain said that the Bush Administration had to “take responsibility for the anti- Muslim climate they have been fostering through their actions; Guantanamo Bay itself is a scandal of the highest order”.
Ah, diversity!
They do that every day. :)
Well causing a riot were people are killed .. is not something to be proud of
Posted earlier:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1403464/posts#comment?q=1
On Saturday, Isikoff spoke to his original source, the senior government official, who said that he clearly recalled reading investigative reports about mishandling the Qur'an, including a toilet incident. But the official, still speaking anonymously, could no longer be sure that these concerns had surfaced in the SouthCom report. Told of what the NEWSWEEK source said, DiRita exploded, "People are dead because of what this son of a bitch said. How could he be credible now?"
No one can put this genie back in the bottle, even if 10,000 pages of testimony prove it false. Thanks Newsweek.
PS - I bet the Muslim countries that outlaw the Bible have done far worse things to both that book and its adherents.
Apparantly, I will need to purchase bulk quantites of the Koran.
Because I intend to desecrate one of them every single day for the rest of my life.
Publicly.
In front of a mosque.
Close. The Washington Post owns Newsweek.
Newsweek probably picked this up from a Russian disinformation campaign. Its got their fingerprints all over it.
We are at war and Newsweek aided, abetted, and conforted our enemies (confort to a muslim is having an excuse to kill anyone over anything). When are we going to start to enforce treason law? Probably when we begin to enforce (a duty of the Executive Branch) the remainder of the Constitution, such as securing our borders!
XPian? I think my nick resembles that. :) I know I know....Chi Rho....Greek etc.
Told of what the NEWSWEEK source said, DiRita exploded, "People are dead because of what this son of a bitch said. How could he be credible now?"
Credibility.
Just when I think I can't hate the MSM any more than I do, they up the ante.
All Newsweek did was print a story. It is not their fault, IMO, if people died in riots.
It is the fault of the Muslim countries, the imams, etc., who promote religious bigotry, intolerance, ignorance and a certain mindset that encourages riots. Don't blame the messenger, even if it's Newsweek.
I see photos of the American flag being burned in newspapers. It infuriates me, but I don't riot over it.
Yeah where is the UN on that?
(CRICKETS)
We are at war and Newsweek aided, abetted, and conforted our enemies >>>>>>>>>>>>>
And the Bush Administration will let it slide...with a totally LAME PR response scripted by the TOTALLY LAME PC KISS ASS State Dept.
You are correct, they didn't directly kill people
But they sure played a role in starting the riot
Man, I'm impressed! That must be some toilet! I want one of those. Sometimes mine won't even handle a few squares of toilet paper.
"Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, promised an inquiry and punishment for any proven offenders."
Oh really?!? Like for what 'Condi'? Exactly what LAW was broken if true? Is desecration of the freaking Koran covered in the UCMJ?
ps: Kiss 2008 good-bye
It's like yelling fire in a crowded theater and people get trampled to death. Muslims are crazy, so the media should know better, before reporting falsehoods.
It's probably one of those $40,000 government toilets.
But it's a military toilet. They probably paid $200,000 a "head" for them.
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