KUTV: Utah Religious Leaders Endorses Anti-Torture Bill

KUTV: Utah Religious Leaders Endorses Anti-Torture Bill:

"SALT LAKE CITY A group of Utah religious leaders has endorsed a U.S. Senate-passed measure that would ban U.S. use of torture.

A statement signed by the 41 religious leaders, representing a number of Christian denominations, the Muslim community and pagan clergy, called on Congress and the president to rule out any use of torture of war prisoners.

The group did not include any representative of the state's predominant denomination, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mormon church spokesman Dale Bills said Wednesday that the church ``condemns inhumane treatment of any person under any circumstances.

``The church has not taken a position on any proposed legislative or administrative actions regarding torture,'' Bills said.

The statement issued by the 41 Utah religious leaders urged their members to press congressional representatives to pass the 2006 Defense Appropriations bill containing anti-torture provisions.

It cited a similar declaration by the National Council of Churches."