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Oklahoma Lawmaker, GOP Chair Affirm Anti-Muslim Post

State of Oklahoma-File photo

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A GOP state legislator and the chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party are standing behind anti-Muslim remarks the lawmaker posted to his Facebook page, and both say they have no plans to apologize.

A Muslim advocacy group has called for state Representative John Bennett to apologize after he posted a comment to his Facebook page urging people, especially Christians, to "be wary of the individuals who claim to be Muslim-American." The Sallisaw Republican also said in his post that the Islamic holy book, the Quran, calls for the killing of non-Muslims.

The Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Director Adam Soltani called the comments "inappropriate and offensive."

Bennett says he has no plans to apologize, while Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Dave Weston described Bennett's comments as "accurate."