Ad campaign promoting Islam angers US lawmaker

NEW YORK - A month-long advertising campaign, aimed at promoting Islam, has generated controversy here, with a controversial US lawmaker sending a letter to the authorities asking them to stop the ads, which will appear during the holy month of Ramazan.

Congressman Peter King of New York, a Republican who is known for his tirades against Islam, has called the city’s Metropolitan Transit Agency to drop its decision to run the month-long, $48,000 ad campaign sponsored by the Islamic Circle of North America, a US-based advocacy group, that coincides with the holy month of Ramazan.

King, who is Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said he has no problem with the campaign as such but finds people sponsoring it unacceptable.

“I have no problem with the ad itself, but I have a very, very real problem with those behind it,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “I strongly believe the MTA (Metropolitan Transit Authority) should pull the ads.”