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Prisoners say Israeli guards defiled Koran
TEL AVIV, Israel, June 8 (UPI) -- Palestinian prisoners in an Israeli prison observed a one-day hunger strike Wednesday to protest the alleged desecration of the Koran by Israeli prison guards. The prisoners in Majido prison accused several guards of tearing up and stepping on a copy of the Muslim sacred book during an inspection of their cells Tuesday. They are demanding that the offenders be punished.An Arab member of the Israeli Knesset, Mohammed Baraka, told UPI he visited the prison late Tuesday night and met with a representative of the prisoners, who showed him a torn copy of the Koran. "The prisoners did not accuse the prison authority of desecrating the holy book but only a few guards, and they have decided to go on a hunger strike Wednesday to press for the trial and punishment of the offenders," Baraka said. He rejected Israel's claims that the incident was fabricated by the prisoners. In Beirut, a Hamas statement faxed to UPI offices denounced the reported desecration and vowed to avenge Israeli provocations against Muslims. Posted by: Steve 2005-06-08 |
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