Islamic groups slam U.S. over Iraq

JAKARTA: Leaders of 30 Islamic organizations met House of Representatives leaders on Thursday, urging the legislators to voice their opposition against the U.S. planned attack on Iraq.

They said the strike would bring more suffering to the Iraqi people and it would enrage Indonesia, which has a Muslim majority population.

Among the Islamic organizations were the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah, Aisyah and Union of Islam (Persis).

The Muslim leaders also expressed their concerns over the moral decadence facing the nation as reflected by the numerous corruption cases that have come to light recently.

MUI secretary Din Syamsuddin warned that the government's failure to address the nation's problems would lead to its collapse.

The delegation was received by House Speaker Akbar Tandjung, deputy speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno and chairman of Commission I Ibrahim Ambong. -- JP