Posted on 05/15/2005 3:54:06 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Muslims in Afghanistan gave Washington three days to offer a response to a Newsweek story that claimed the Islamic holy book was desecrated at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, but the magazine apologized Sunday for the report, which prompted deadly riots across Afghanistan last week.
Reaction across the Islamic world has been strong, with daily demonstrations since the May 9 story came out. At least 15 people died in Afghanistan after protests broke out Tuesday following the report that interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, placed Qurans in washrooms to unsettle suspects, and in one case "flushed a holy book down the toilet."
Many of the 520 inmates at Guantanamo are Muslims arrested during the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. In both Afghanistan and Pakistan, insults to the Quran and Islam's prophet, Muhammad, are regarded as blasphemy and punishable by death.
"The American soldiers are known for disrespect to other religions. They do not take care of the sanctity of other religions," Qazi Hussain Ahmed, the Pakistani chief of a coalition of radical Islamic groups, said Sunday.
Ahmed's comments came a day after Pakistan's President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, both allies of Washington, demanded an investigation and punishment for those behind the reported desecration of the Quran.
In Afghanistan, Islamic scholars and tribal elders called for the punishment of anyone found to have abused the Quran, said Maulawi Abdul Wali Arshad, head of the religious affairs department in Badakhshan province.
Arshad and the provincial police chief said the scholars met in Faizabad, 310 miles northeast of the capital, Kabul, and demanded a "reaction" from U.S. authorities within three days.
But Newsweek apologized in an editor's note for Monday's edition and said they were re-examining the allegations.
"We regret that we got any part of our story wrong, and extend our sympathies to victims of the violence and to the U.S. soldiers caught in its midst," Newsweek Editor Mark Whitaker wrote.
Newsweek's source later said he was unsure about the origin of the Quran allegation, and a top Pentagon spokesman told the magazine that the military "had investigated other desecration charges by detainees and found them 'not credible.'"
Meanwhile, President Bush's national security adviser said Sunday the allegation was being investigated "vigorously."
"If it turns out to be true, obviously we will take action against those responsible, Stephen Hadley said in an interview for CNN's "Late Edition."
Ahmed, the religious leader in Pakistan, said Islamic groups in Pakistan, Egypt, Malaysia, Britain and Turkey would hold protests on May 27 against the alleged desecration.
Lebanon's most senior Shiite Muslim cleric on Sunday said the reported desecration of the Quran is part of an American campaign aimed at disrespecting and smearing Islam.
Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah urged Muslims and international human rights organizations "to raise their voices loudly against the American behavior, which is hostile to Islam and Muslims."
In a statement faxed to The Associated Press, Fadlallah called the alleged desecration a "brutal" form of torture.
"This act is not an individual act carried out by an American soldier, but rather it is part of the American behavior of intellectual and psychological education in disrespecting Islam and smearing its image in the souls of Americans," Fadlallah said.
Before nuking them, first saw off their heads.
They are as responsible for the fifteen murders as the ones who did it.
....and of course, puts our military in even greater danger!!
I hope Evans and Isikoff are sweating bullets...!
...but mark my words, they'll be on FOX, Today, etc, bright & early tomorrow morning ....and butter won't melt in their mouths as they mumble their apologies.....and hope it all goes away.
Newsweek, the CBS of news magazines.
Muslims sound just like demorats. "We want an apology". Let's write "apology" on a missile and send it their way.
.....15 people died in Afghanistan after protests broke out Tuesday following the report that interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, placed Qurans in washrooms to unsettle suspects, and in one case "flushed a holy book down the toilet." ......
Yeah, that's a real problem for the "detainees" at Gitmo.
Here they have washrooms and toilets, and maybe sometimes their books fall off the clean wash basin.
They never had those problems before, as they were always sure to place their Holy Books on the ground far enough away from the Piss and Crap pile of Rocks, so as they bent over to do their duty, they wouldn't splash their urine or whatever on the Holy Book. Then their left hand would clean them up, so they could pick up their Holy Book.
What a bunch of "Crap"!
"Meanwhile, President Bush's national security adviser said Sunday the allegation was being investigated "vigorously."
Lemme see if I've got this right. Crucifix in urine or Statue of Mary adorned with elephant dung = free speech. While Koran in toilet = cause for "vigorous" action.
I care.
Two points:
The smucks at Newsweek, printed a highly inflammatory piece of information without verification to undermine the administration. They knew it would not be unnoticed by a radical Islamic world. Did they think it would result in innocent people dying? They probably didn't think that far ahead and might not have even cared. Their objective was to make it as difficult as possible for the administration to move it's foreign policy ahead to get stability in the middle east instead of focusing on domestic issues like judges.
Whether or not we like it, Newsweek is a respected worldwide publication that is read by millions of people who only get a look into the USA via magazines like Newsweek and Time. If we as a country are to make headway with the "normal" Islamic world, we have to respect their cultures. The article just shows how untrustworthy, arrogant and bullying we are, if it was true.
The lie gets half way around the world before the truth gets it's pants on. Our pants have figuratively been pulled down around our ankles by irresponsible reporting by Newsweek.
Ultimately, it will cost more dollars and more our our solders lives because of it.
As a peole we need to hold Newsweek accountable as to make sure they report the facts as trustworthy as possible.
Thats ok, I intend to buy a Koran just to use for toilet paper....
You have stated it perfectly. Their are two sets of rules.......one for muslims & one for Christians.
This is outrageous. Not only are they unrepentant, they are turning their evil deeds into yet another story: "The Islamic World: How a Fire Broke Out". "How a Fire Broke Out"??? How about "How Newsweek's Lying Smear Tactics Got People Killed, Yet No One is Held Accountable"?
I ditched that sorry leftist mag (and a free subscription at that) a year ago and was never so glad to see the last of something.
They need to pay.
That's "News-weak."
I saw some film clips and images of the rioting mobs. They want a response. I got a response. It's called a MOAB.
Loose lips DO sink ships. Prosecute 'em.
In Afghanistan recently, supreme Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar issued an edict against un-Islamic graven images, which means all idolatrous images of humans and animals. As a result, the Taliban are destroying all ancient sculptures. Explosives, tanks, and anti-aircraft weapons blew apart two colossal images of the Buddha in Bamiyan Province, 230 kilometers (150 miles) from the capital of Kabul.
- - -
from not that long ago.
SCREW the muslims.
To hell with their religious cult.
Guess all those 'intellectual' Imans will be cancelling their subscriptions.... I'm sure none of them have ever dissed Christianity.
Loose lips DO sink ships. Prosecute 'em.
I say turn over Evan Thomas and Spikey to the Iman's ...its only fair.
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Newsweek circulation will increase because of their report. Trust me.
BWAHAHAHA! That's rich coming from a radical Islamic leader.
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