WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- A Washington-based Islamic group Friday condemned the beheading of British hostage Kenneth Bigley in Iraq and urged an end to the violence in the region.
Earlier, the group also condemned the beheading of two U.S. hostages in Iraq.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations said in a statement, "We condemn this latest act of mindless cruelty and repeat our call for the immediate release of all hostages currently held in Iraq, whatever their nation of origin or faith."
The group also said, "We must work together to bring an end to the seemingly endless cycle of violence that has claimed so many innocent lives in the Middle East."
CAIR recently launched an online petition drive, called "Not in the Name of
Islam," designed to disassociate Islam from the violent acts of a few Muslims. It is accessible online at cair-net.org.
The organization said it is the country's largest Islamic civil liberties group, with 29 regional offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada.
