Muslim activist won't apologize to evangelists

The spokesman for a prominent U.S. Muslim group, who regularly demands contrition from critics of Islam, will not apologize for comparing some conservative evangelical leaders to Osama bin Laden and saying they would kill Muslims given the chance

Ibrahim Hooper of the activist Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) stood by his argument that the Rev. Jerry Falwell, the Rev. Pat Robertson, evangelist Jimmy Swaggart and the Rev. Franklin Graham are "equivalent" to bin Laden in wanting to divide the world into a religious war.
     They "have the same mentality as bin Laden" in trying to incite an "unending civilizational conflict," Mr. Hooper said Wednesday

None of the religious leaders cited by Mr. Hooper demanded an apology from CAIR when contacted this week, but they stuck by their criticism of the violence of Islam or what they call its erroneous theological claims.

A spokesman for Mr. Graham, son of the famed evangelist the Rev. Billy Graham, said he "has not backed down on his statements," which have included that Islam is "wicked."

A day after Mr. Bush's comments, Franklin Graham said his criticism of Islam comes from bad experiences doing relief work in Muslim countries.
     "I agree with the president that 'our war against terror is a war against individuals whose hearts are full of hate,'" Franklin Graham said in a statement. "This is not a war against Islam."
 

"We must distinguish between the origin of the religion and those who adhere to it in the United States, who are indeed a peaceful people," Mr. Robertson said in a statement issued after Mr. Bush's comments.
 

Mr. Swaggart said in an interview that his comment about expelling the students "was not appropriate and will not happen again."
     While backing religious freedom, said the Pentecostal evangelist, "I oppose the religion of Islam." After the attack on the United States, "a line has to be drawn" on tolerance, he said. "This is not really a war between nations. It is a war with a religion."