SAN FRANCISCO, June 19: Fearing a backlash, leading American Muslim and Arab organizations were very prompt today in vehemently condemning the murder of American hostage , Paul M. Johnson Jr., in Saudi Arabia who had been held since last week by kidnappers allegedly linked to Al-Qaeda.

The organizations emphasized that such barbaric action does not serve the cause of Muslims or Islam.

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), President Mary Rose Oakar, condemned in the strongest terms the murder of American contractor and said that such brutal actions do not reflect the tenants of any faith nor can they serve any legitimate political goal.

The American Muslim Voice Executive Director, Samina Faheem Sundas, while strongly denouncing the murder of Paul Johnson, said: "We condemn this act of senseless violence and repudiate all those who believe that such outrageous and despicable behaviour benefits the faith of Islam or the Muslim people.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), in a statement, condemned the murder of American civilian Paul Johnson Jr. The CAIR statement said: "We strongly condemn this senseless act which does not serve the cause of Islam or Muslims."

The CAIR recently launched an online petition drive, called "Not in the Name of Islam", designed to disassociate Islam from the violent acts of a few Muslims. Individuals and organizations representing more than 600,000 Muslims worldwide have already signed the CAIR petition.

The "Not in the Name of Islam" petition states: "No injustice done to Muslims can ever justify the massacre of innocent people, and no act of terror will ever serve the cause of Islam. We repudiate and dissociate ourselves from any Muslim group or individual who commits such brutal and un-Islamic acts. We refuse to allow our faith to be held hostage by the criminal actions of a tiny minority acting outside the teachings of both the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)."