London: A Republican politician has sparked religious fury by saying that Muslims posed a significant threat, and should be forced out of the US military.
Tennessee State Representative Rick Womick claimed serving needed to be kicked out of the armed forces because their religion commands them to lie.
“Personally I don't trust one Muslim in our military because they're commanded to lie to us,” the Daily Mail quoted Womick, as saying during an interview on Veterans Day.
“And if they really are a devout Muslim and follow the Koran and the Sunnah, then I feel threatened because they're commanded to kill me,” he added.
Asked if he felt that serving Muslims should be ‘forced out’ he replied, ‘absolutely yes.’
“We are at war with al-Qaeda and the Taliban, who are Muslims. It's a Catch-22. They are not allowed to kill their fellow Muslims, we're at war with Muslims,” he said.
“The only solution I see is that they not be allowed in the military,” he added.
According to the report, Saleh Sbenaty of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro told the Tenneseean that it is really sad to see Womick’s comments coming on Veterans Day.’
“He needs to be reminded that there are thousands of Muslims who serve and are serving (in the US military), and there are many of them who gave up their lives to preserve the freedom of this country and the freedom that he is enjoying,” Sbenaty said.
“Al Qaeda doesn't believe in freedom of religion. They want to rule the world according to their views. And Womick wants to rule the United States according to his narrow vision,” he added.
According to the paper, there are an estimated six million Muslims living in the US with around 3500 serving the military.
ANI
First Published: Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 18:09