US deplores insults to religious beliefs, violence in the name of religion

September 20, 2012 (LBO) – The United States Thursday reiterated that it had nothing to do with an anti Islam film that sparked violent protests by Muslim hardliners across the globe and cost the lives of US embassy staff including that of the ambassador in Libya. "It should be noted that the United States strongly rejects both its contents and message, and had nothing to do with the video," the US embassy in Colombo releasing a statement said.

"The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others," it said.

The statement came ahead of Friday prayers and following a protest march on Wednesday by Muslim groups towards the American embassy in Colombo.

Anger over the film fueled anti American attacks in Libya and Egypt with armed protestors targeting US facilities.

US Ambassador John Christopher Stevens was killed in a rocket propelled grenade attack as he tried to escape from the American embassy in Benghazi.

French diplomats in Australia fear a fresh Muslim backlash after a satirical French magazine published cartoons of a naked Prophet Mohammed.

Authorities fear that the cartoons could further inflame tensions.

The US embassy in Colombo said "as a multi-ethnic and multi-religious socie