The US military says it has identified
five incidents in which the Koran was mishandle
by American personnel at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.

But the jail commander said no credible evidence had been found that the book had been flushed down a toilet.

The denial follows similar allegations against US guards in a 2002 document made public on Wednesday, in which an FBI agent quoted an inmate.

Newsweek also reported the toilet claim, but later retracted it.

The Newsweek report sparked protests across the Muslim world. In Afghanistan riots resulted in the deaths of at least 15 people.

The magazine withdrew its story after saying it could no longer corroborate the report.

The White House rounded on the magazine, saying its report had done "lasting damage" to the US image in the Muslim world.

Deliberate and accidental

The Guantanamo Bay prison commander, Brigadier General Jay Hood, said he had found that the Koran had been mishandled on five occasions since late 2001.

Three of the cases appeared to involve deliberate mishandling, while the other two incidents were apparently accidental, he said.

Four cases involved guards and one an interrogator.

Brig Gen Hood said those involved had not violated the rules in place at the time.

The inmate who made the original allegation about the Koran being flushed down the toilet had retracted it, he said.

A Pentagon spokesman characterised the incidents as mainly inadvertent handling of the Muslim holy book.

More than 500 people are being held at Guantanamo Bay, the US naval base on Cuba, suspected of links to the al-Qaeda network.

Some have been detained for more than three years, but have not been charged.
Last Updated: Friday, 27 May, 2005, 16:57 GMT 17:57 UK Printable version
Muslims denounce 'US Koran abuse'


One of the biggest anti-US rallies was held in Alexandria, Egypt
Thousands of people across the Muslim world have rallied against the alleged abuse of the Koran by US personnel at the Guantanamo Bay military camp.

Protesters in Egypt, Pakistan, Jordan, Lebanon and Malaysia demanded the US apologise and punish those responsible.

The demonstrations came after the US military admitted some of its guards had mishandled the Muslim holy book.

But the camp commander said no credible evidence had been found that the Koran had been flushed down a toilet.

Newsweek magazine reported the toilet claim earlier this month, but later retracted it.

The Newsweek report sparked widespread protests, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 people in Afghanistan.

During Friday's rallies:

• several thousand people chanted anti-US slogans in Egypt's capital, Cairo, and also in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, closely watched by police

• in Lebanon, sit-in protests were held across the country with people chanting "America is the biggest Satan"

• in Pakistan, demonstrators in Islamabad, Quetta and several other cities burned effigies of US President George W Bush

• in Jordan, protesters in the capital, Amman, denounced US policies

• in Malaysia, several hundred people protested outside the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

'Accidental'

Detainees in the US detention centre in Cuba have made various allegations that US personnel had desecrated the Koran.


In Lebanon, many protesters vowed to destroy White House

On Thursday, Guantanamo Bay prison commander Brigadier General Jay Hood said he had found that the Koran had been mishandled on five occasions since late 2001.

Three of the cases appeared to involve deliberate mishandling, while the other two incidents were apparently accidental, he said.

Four cases involved guards and one an interrogator.

Brig Gen Hood said those involved had not violated the rules in place at the time.
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