There are over one billion Muslims in the world. Among that number, one finds a few extremists who misuse Islam as a justification for their violent criminal acts. Unfortunately, any religion, including Christianity and Judaism, is vulnerable to this kind of distortion and abuse. The majority of the countries on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism are Muslim. These are the criteria we use to designate state sponsors of terrorism.
Religion has nothing to do with it.
The sometimes-distorted portrayal of Islam in Western media is a problem the United States continues to address. Whatever distortions exist, President Clinton, our diplomats, and others responsible for our official dealings with the Islamic world generally have a clear understanding and deep respect for Islam. This site is produced and maintained by the U.S. Department of State. Links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein.