Kansas City Muslims outraged by US Embassy attacks

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Amid images of violence and protests, Kansas City Muslims are standing by the United States and condemning the violence in Egypt, Libya and Yemen.

Violent attacks continue in the Middle East. Witnesses said riot police fired warning shots and tear gas outside the US Embassy in Cairo to keep hundreds of protesters in line. In addition, embassy guards in Yemen fired weapons to try and control protesters there. The clashes came amid heightened tensions at US diplomatic missions in the region following Tuesday's attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Four Americans, including the ambassador to Libya, were killed.

Protests against an anti-Muslim video posted on YouTube are spreading. Friday, hundreds of Iraqis protested in Baghdad against the video. The protesters, who gathered in Baghdad's infamous Sadr City District, chanted slogans denouncing Israel and the U.S. They also burned an American flag.

Members of the Midland Islamic Council in Kansas City are denouncing the attacks on U.S. Embassies in the Middle East. They tell 41 Action News reporter Sarah Hollenbeck that they are extremely upset by the violence and want fellow Americans to know the killings and uprisings are un-Islamic.

The group calls the Anti-Muslim film posted on YouTube "offensive" and "upsetting". Yet, they say despite the nature of the video, Islam does not allow killing innocent people for any reason.

Syed Hassan, a member of the Midland Islamic Council, says the timing of these protests is unfortunate being they happened so close to the anniversary of Sept. 11.

Hassan explains they've worked tirelessly to prove they're just as much a part of the American mainstream as everybody else,

"There seems to be somebody or some group working behind the scenes trying to create a scenario where the media picks up on everything and of course Muslims are again demonized and defamed all kinds of negative things."

Local Muslims referred to the protesters as “savages", who they say ignore the basic teachings of Islam.

According to the religion, no matter how many times the prophet was insulted and attacked; he always acted with compassion, forgave his offenders and would never seek revenge.