U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, has described disrespect of the holy Quran "abhorrent" and pledged to punish offenders. The information media has reported the desecration of the Holy Quran at Guantanamo camp in Cuba. Rice used an appearance before a Senate committee today to issue a special opening statement addressed "directly to Muslims in America and throughout the world" on the reported incidents at the U.S. prison camp, according to international news agencies' report. "Disrespect for the Holy Quran is not now, nor has it ever been, nor will it ever be, tolerated by the United States," Rice said. "We honor the sacred books of all the world's great religions. Disrespect for the Holy Quran is abhorrent to us all." Religious freedom and protection of a person's right to worship freely was one of the founding principles of the United States and something taken very seriously in the country, Rice said. "Guaranteeing religious rights is of great personal importance to the president and to me," she said.
