Egypt condemns remarks by Dutch, US politicians

CAIRO, Aug 9 (Reuters) The Egyptian government said today that populist Dutch politician Geert Wilders had displayed odious racism and that US presidential candidate Tom Tancredo was ignorant and arrogant.

Wilders called on Wednesday for a ban on the Muslim holy book the Koran, and Tancredo, a Republican member of Congress from Colorado, last month suggested bombing Mecca if Muslims attacked the United States with nuclear weapons.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said of Wilders' remarks: ''Talk such as this demonstrates only the odious racism of some Western politicians and their fanaticism against Islam ... It also reflects their utter ignorance of the substance of Islam.'' A ministry statement said Tancredo made his remarks ''in hasty pursuit of fame, the limelight and votes.

''Such threats could not come from a straight person or a responsible politician, even if he was trying to obtain a handful of votes from those who support him in his ignorance and arrogance,'' it said.

The ministry welcomed condemnations of Wilders and Tancredo by the Dutch government and the US administration.

REUTERS AE BST2212