Muslim leaders rap the U.S.

Muslim leaders rap the U.S.

SURABAYA: Leaders of Indonesia's two biggest Muslim organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, rapped the United States on Thursday for what they considered to be double standards in its handling of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

At a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph L. Boyce in Surabaya, East Java, on Thursday, the religious leaders made it clear to the U.S. that they were against terrorism but lamented civilian casualties in the U.S. antiterrorism campaign in Afghanistan.

"We all agree on the need to fight against terrorism, but violence should not be countered with violence. We asked (the ambassador) if there were other measures that could have avoided civilian casualties," said Nuruddin A. Rachman of Nahdlatul Ulama, the biggest Muslim organization in Indonesia.

Boyce visited Surabaya, East Java, on Thursday, where he met with leaders of both NU and Muhammadiyah.

Ambassador Boyce, on the other hand, told reporters after the meeting that the United States could not accede to all the suggestions made by Muslim leaders during the meeting. -- Antara