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Minn.'s Ellison Decries Protest Violence In Libya

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Minnesota U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison says he is disturbed by attacks on U.S. diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and that violence is not justified by Muslim anger over a film that ridiculed the Prophet Muhammad.

The attacks Tuesday night in the Libyan city of Benghazi killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three members of his staff. Ellison released a statement Wednesday praising them as "brave public servants working tirelessly to improve relations with Egypt, Libya, and the rest of the world."

Ellison, a Democrat who was the first Muslim-American elected to Congress, called the U.S.-made film deeply offensive to Muslims and "designed to provoke." But he says protesters should have ignored the film, or peacefully condemned it without resorting to violence.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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