Kerry refuses mosque visit as Muslims urged to back him

By: Mohamed Ali

FLORIDA, United States: US Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry during his election campaign in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, refused to visit mosque.

Reports said, Kerry addressed at one of the blacks churches in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday 24 October, and prayer leaders of mosques and Muslims tried hard that Kerry grant them few minutes and visit one of their mosques as the Jewish and the Christians but he left heading for another church.

This happened after less than 72 hours that major American Muslim groups gave what they called a "qualified endorsement" to Kerry, urging Muslims to vote for him against Bush.

The American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Elections - Political Action Committee (AMT-PAC) said in a statement that the Bush administration has “been insensitive to the civil liberties and human rights” of Muslims since the September 11 attacks.

“American Muslims are being treated like second-class citizens,” read the statement of AMT-PAC -- an affiliated political action committee of the American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Elections (AMT) which includes nine groups.

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