WASHINGTON, Oct 19: A top White House aide took issue on Sunday with a senior Pentagon intelligence officer under fire for his comments on Islam, saying no one should characterize the war on terrorism as a religious conflict.

Army Lt. Gen. William Boykin, has apologized for the controversial statements in which he portrayed the US battle with Muslim radicals as a clash with “Satan,” saying they sought to destroy America “because we’re a Christian nation.”

US National Security Adviser, Condoleezza Rice, asked if President Bush would condemn the remarks by Boykin, said, “The president’s views on this are absolutely clear. This is not a war between religions. No one should describe it as such,” Rice told ABC’s “This Week.”

The controversy erupted last week after NBC News broadcast videotapes of Boykin, an intelligence officer and evangelical Christian, giving speeches while wearing his Army uniform at various Christian functions.

Top Democrats in the US Congress, including presidential candidates Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, chastised the administration for failing to criticize Boykin. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Thursday not only declined to criticize him, but praised his “outstanding” military record.

Boykin, in a statement issued by the Pentagon on Friday, apologized to those offended by his remarks but did not retract them.

“I am neither a zealot nor an extremist. Only a soldier who has an abiding faith,” said Boykin, deputy undersecretary of defence for intelligence and war-fighting support.

“I do believe that radical extremists have tried to use Islam as a cause for attacks on America,” he said. “As I have stated before, they are not true followers of Islam. In my view they are simply terrorists, much like the so-called Christians of the white supremacy groups, or extremist (sic) of any faith,” Boykin said.

“For those who have been offended by my statements, I offer a sincere apology,” he added.

Rice, asked about the matter on the ABC programme, said, “The president has been absolutely clear that this not a war of religions. This is a group of people, a group of killers and murders who take a great religion like Islam and pervert its teachings to kill and mane.”

“Islam is a peaceful religion. The president is respectful of those who practice the Islamic faith,” Rice said.—Reuters