The Islamic Center of Southern California unequivocally condemns the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by members of the American military police, and private contractors in Iraq in violation of accepted international norms. With the release of further pictures of cruel behavior by members of the military, we must question how isolated these incidents truly are. We feel that the hate mongering against Muslims and Arabs by some commentators and some preachers created an atmosphere that allowed this despicable behavior to happen.

We recognize that the vast majority of US troops would never engage in such heinous behavior, however we must acknowledge that this behavior has stained the reputation of our country and of our soldiers in the eyes of the world. We call upon the US Military to investigate and swiftly prosecute those who committed these crimes, and those who were derelict in their duty by allowing the abuse to happen.