12 April 2004	Monday	21 Safar 1425

SAN FRANCISCO, April 11: American Muslims have condemned the bombing of mosques in Iraq. After the Friday prayers at the Long Island Mosque, 200 worshippers signed a petition to President George W. Bush which condemned military actions at mosques and urged the president to pull out American troops from Iraq and work through the United Nations.

Copies of the petition are being sent to other mosques for more signatures. The Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a leading American Muslim civil rights organization, called for a cease-fire by all parties in Fallujah and other Iraqi cities to allow entry of humanitarian supplies, medical treatment for the injured and proper burial of the dead.

The CAIR pointed out that even members of Iraq's American- selected Governing Council are calling for an end to operations in Fallujah. It also called for a complete investigation into the bombing of the Fallujah mosque and a United Nations Security Council discussion on the crisis in Iraq.

The CAIR pointed out that the ongoing violence in Iraq was creating a humanitarian crisis that not only causes immense suffering among the civilian population, but also negatively impacts America's image and interests throughout the Middle East. It urged complete reappraisal of America's deteriorating policy towards Iraq.