07 August 2004	Saturday	20 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

STRASBOURG, Aug 6: Vandals painted swastikas on 15 Muslim graves in Strasbourg, northeastern France, it was discovered at a military cemetery on Friday.

French President Jacques Chirac interrupted his holiday to condemn the incident, but local Muslim leaders accused his government of inaction.

"I can no longer be content now with the condemnations and solidarity pledges of political rulers. I want results," said Abdellah Boussouf, rector of Strasbourg mosque.br> "France's Muslims as a whole have the feeling they are considered second-class citizens," he told reporters. Five million Muslims live in France, the largest number in any Western European country. It also has the biggest Jewish community.

A total 300 graves representing a variety of religions have been desecrated in the Strasbourg region in recent months, with the attacks often accompanied by neo-Nazi graffiti. No one has yet been charged in connection with any of the incidents.

Mr Chirac, holidaying in the French-ruled Indian Ocean island of Reunion, wrote an open letter to the head of the local Alsace Muslim council expressing his disgust at the attack and pledging his "absolute determination to fight this plague".

Last week unknown attackers desecrated 34 tombstones in a Jewish cemetery in the nearby town of Saverne, painting red or blue swastikas on most of them. Tian cemetery in the nearby town of Niederhaslach in June. France has seen a rise in anti-Semitic attacks in recent years, which some blame on tensions between Muslims and Jews stoked by the Middle East conflict. -Reuters