AJC Deplores Desecration of Muslim Graves in France

NEW YORK, April 7, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Jewish Committee is deeply dismayed by the wanton vandalism of 148 Muslim graves in a French cemetery.

"Desecration of a gravesite is an abomination and needs to be condemned in the strongest possible terms," said AJC Executive Director David A. Harris. "Our hearts go out to the Muslim community, and to all of France, for this was an attack on the French people."

The graves are located in a large war cemetery in northern France. Vandalism included hanging a pig's head on one tombstone, an especially hurtful affront to Muslims, and writing hateful slogans against French Justice Minister Rachida Dati, whose parents came from North Africa.