Islamic clerics call for an end to Afghan riots

Afghanistan’s top Islamic organisation today called for an end to three days of deadly rioting over drawings of the Prophet Mohammed, as police shot four protesters dead to stop hundreds from marching on a US military base.

“Islam says it’s all right to demonstrate but not to resort to violence. This must stop,” said senior cleric Mohammed Usman. “We condemn the cartoons but this does not justify violence. These rioters are defaming the name of Islam.”