Officials: Bush apologizes to Iraqi PM over Quran shooting incident

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
US President George W. Bush has apologized to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for an American sniper's use of a copy of the Quran for target practice, according to a statement Tuesday. White House press secretary Dana Perino said Bush spoke to al-Maliki about the Quran shooting incident during a regularly scheduled videoconference on Monday. She said Bush expressed his "serious concern." The statement said al-Maliki told Bush of the "disappointment and anger of the people and government of Iraq over the soldier's disgraceful action." Bush told al-Maliki that the sniper would face trial, it added. The US military said Sunday it had disciplined the sniper and removed him from Iraq after he was found to have used Islam's holy book for target practice May 9. The copy of the Quran was found two days later by Iraqis on a firing range in Radwaniyah, west of Baghdad, with 14 bullet holes in it and graffiti written on its pages.