May 16, 2005

In its issue which hits newsstands today, Newsweek magazine editors apologize for a May 9 story which alleged interrogators at Guantanamo Bay had flushed a copy of the Quran down a toilet. The report touched off massive demonstrations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which resulted in at least 15 deaths.

During a press conference on Friday, the Muslim Public Affairs Council announced a petition campaign to the President calling for redress of grievances suffered by American Muslims. The petition calls for an immediate investigation of detainee abuse and religious mistreatment by U.S. military interrogators of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, and demands swift corrective action against those responsible, including termination of employment of high-level officials who allowed such abuses to take place.

SEE: "L.A. Muslims Ask Probe of Alleged Desecration" (L.A. Times, 5/14/05)

On Thursday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed regret for the loss of life and promised a full investigation of the allegation against Americans at Guantanamo, saying "Disrespect for the Holy Quran is not now, nor has it ever been, nor will it ever be tolerated by the United States."

Despite the Newsweek apology, a probe into the human rights practices of U.S. military and intelligence officers is crucial in order to salvage America's character and image. Last week's widespread demonstrations against the U.S. are an indication of dissatisfaction with the U.S.'s apparent inconsistency with regard to treatment of Muslims and the campaign to democratize the Muslim world.

The United States cannot offer democracy as a one-size-fits-all solution for the Muslim world while simultaneously expecting Muslims around the world to ignore the vicious abuses at Abu Ghraib, the mistreatment of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, the freeze of zakat funds by the U.S. government, comments by General William Boykin that Muslims worship an "idol" and Franklin Graham calling Islam an "evil and wicked religion."

"Unless we're serious about handing out consequences to those who violate our Constitution and go against American values of decency, America's image will continue to deteriorate," said Communications Director Edina Lekovic. "Officials who allowed this to happen under their supervision should be dismissed in order to prevent the recurrence of such abhorrent acts in the future."

The May 9 Newsweek report said that investigators looking into abuses at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, found that interrogators "had placed Qurans on toilets, and in at least one case flushed a holy book down the toilet." Muslims consider the Quran the literal word of God and treat each book with reverence.