US ambassador says innocent Muslims will be protected

Outgoing US Ambassador to Rwanda George Staples told Rwandan Muslims on Tuesday that his country would pursue terrorists, but would not target innocent Muslims, the Rwanda News Agency reported. While paying a courtesy call on the Rwandan mufti, Sheikh Habimana Saleh, Staples said that those who support and harbour terrorists - be they Muslims, Christians or whatever religion - were enemies of world peace and must be brought to justice. Saleh said he was saddened by the destruction the World Trade Centre in New York and concerned for the Muslim community in that country. "Like all Rwandans we were saddened by the holocaust that befell your country, and we share the condolence message sent by our president," he said. Calling for reconciliation, he said Tutsis and Hutus were learning to live together again in Rwanda and that Americans and Muslims should do the same.