May 18, 2005
Embassy of the United States of America
Belgrade

U.S. Government Notes Retraction of Newsweek Article Concerning the Desecration of The Koran

The U.S. Embassy has noted several articles in the local media concerning reactions in countries throughout the world to a story that appeared in the May 9 issue of the American NEWSWEEK magazine with allegation of the desecration of the Koran at the U.S. military facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The U.S. Government notes that on May 16, NEWSWEEK retracted the story, having found that the allegations in the article were untrue. NEWSWEEK's editor, Mark Whitaker, stated: "Based on what we know now, we are retracting our original story that an internal military investigation had uncovered Qu'ran abuse at Guantanamo Bay."

The Department of Defense has looked into allegations of desecration of the Koran and has found nothing to substantiate the allegations.

The U.S. Government will investigate all credible allegations of misconduct and will take action.

The U.S. Government condemns all acts of incitement and violent protest, and expresses its sympathies to those injured and to the families of those killed.

18. maj, 2005
Ambasada Sjedinjenih Američkih Država
Beograd

VLADA SAD O OPOZIVU NEWSWEEK-OVOG ČLANKA O SKRNAVLJENJU KURANA

Ambasada SAD primetila je novinske napise koji se odnose na reakcije u zemljama širom sveta na članak objavljen 9. maja u američkom magazinu NEWSWEEK u kojem se iznose primeri navodnog skrnavljenja Kurana u američkoj vojnoj bazi u Gvantanamo Beju na Kubi.

Vlada SAD primetila je da je NEWSWEEK 16. maja opozvao svoj članak sa objašnjenjem da su navodi objavljeni u članku netačni. Urednik NEWSWEEK-a Mark Vitaker (Mark Whitaker) izjavio je: "Na osnovu naših sadašnjih saznanja, povlačimo naš članak u kojem se navodi da je unutrašnja vojna istraga utvrdila postojanje zloupotrebe Kurana u Gvantanamo Beju".

Ministarstvo odbrane SAD istražilo je optužbe o navodnom skrnavljenju Kurana i utvrdilo je da su optužbe neosnovane.

Vlada SAD ispitaće sve kredibilne optužbe u vezi eventualnih nedoličnih ponašanja i preduzeće odgovarajuće mere.

Vlada SAD osuđuje sve izazvane i nasilne proteste i saoseća se sa povređenima i porodicama poginulih u protestima.

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