From AP via Fox News, .
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan “” Thousands of Muslims marched Friday in Islamic countries from Asia to the Middle East, burning symbols of America to protest the alleged desecration of the Koran by military personnel at a U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The rallies in Pakistan, Egypt, Lebanon, Indonesia, Malaysia and elsewhere followed an admission Thursday by U.S. investigators that Islam’s holy book was mishandled at Guantanamo Bay. But American officials claimed it was often inadvertent and denied that any Korans were flushed down a toilet, as Newsweek magazine had reported in a now-retracted article.
No injuries were reported in Friday’s demonstrations, with police simply watching in most places. In India’s Kashmir region, however, police fired tear gas and used batons to disperse hundreds of Muslims gathered outside a mosque in the capital of Srinagar.
Women in black veils marched through Kashmir, where schools and businesses were closed as part of the protest, and set American flags and copies of the U.S. Constitution ablaze…
And from AsiaNews, “Christians and Muslims together against Qu”ran desecration,” with thanks to Nicolei:
Faisalabad — Pakistani Christians will join the “˜international day of protest against the desecration of the Holy Qu”ran” called by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), an alliance of Islamic religious parties.
Mgr Evaristo Pinto, Auxiliary Bishop of Karachi, told AsiaNews that “we condemn the desecration of the Qu”ran by US soldier in Guantanamo Bay, because as we respect our sacred books so we respect and give honour to those of other religions. This type of insult is not justified under any circumstances,” he added.
Fr Aftab James Paul, diocesan director in Faisalabad for the National Commission for Inter-Religious Dialogue, said that “when we demand respect and honour for our religion, it is our duty to respect other religions and should not utter derogatory remarks or insult [their] holy books”.
“We are completely united in protest with our Muslim brothers,” he added…