The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 8

AS The Sun TUESDAY, February 14. 1003 L-M I 1 1 llai i 1 OvVilSeild: Black S.B. publisher dead at 67 30-day temperatures Daily Summary B. Norton Jan 29 72 Jan 30 73 Jan 31 69 54 36 74 42 54 37 74 40 54 Yestorday'sHigh Yesterday's Low High this date last year Low this date last year Relative humidity at 1 p.m. Fob 1 Fob 2 Feb 3 Feb 4 Fob 5 Jan 13 59 Jan 14 56 Jan 15 83 Jan 16 68 Jan 73 Jan IB 5 Jan 19 75 Jan 20 62 Jan 21 73 Jan 22 73 Jan 23 52 Jan 24 55 Jan 25 60 Jan 26 62 Jan 27 62 Jan 28 57 S.D.

precipitation Feb 6 45 Fob 7 48 Feb 8 48 Feb 9 47 Feb 10 61 Feb 11 57 Feb 12 56 Feb 13 54 1009 1094 14 32 1988-89 season to Last season to dale 19r-6 season total COUNTY TEMPERATURES Wallace Allen, publisher of San Hernardino's Westside Story newspaper, called Townsend "a great man, a mentor, a man who touched a lot of people." When Allen arrived in San liernardino to work for the Urban League civil rights group, "one of the first things I was told was to go meet Art Town.send," he said. Townsend was one of the founders of the West Coast Black Publishers Association, which he was serving as president when he died, The association's vice president, Cloves Campbell of the Arizona Informant, said Townsend's death is a loss to minority publishers across the country. "We consider him one of the giants in our association and in the newspaper business nationwide," Campbell said from his office in Phoenix. Townsend is survived by his wife of 32 years, Mary; two daughters, Roslyn of Los Angeles and Yolanda of Whittier; four sons, Brian of Rialto, Michael of San Bernardino, Gregory of Sacramento and Donald of San Bernardino; five sisters; one brother; and two grandchildren. Tillie's Memorial Chapel in San Bernardino is handling funeral arrangements, which are not complete.

The family suggests donations to the Art Towns-end Scholarship Foundation, created several years ago. Continued fromA1 paper's 30-year-old director of operations. Arthur Town.send used his earnings in real estate to subsidize the newspaper's operations until it started to make money in the early 1980s, his son said. "He felt there was a need for a mechanism for blacks to know what was going on in their community," he said. Arthur Townsend's weekly "People and Politics" column in the Precinct Reporter chastised government officials, police actions and complacency in the black community over the years.

The San Bernardino-based newspaper has a circulation of approximately 55,000 people in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, with many picking the paper up for free at public offices like city hall. He also owned a newspaper in Orange County called the Tri-County Bulletin, which is about to celebrate its fifth anniversary, his son said. Born in Florida, Townsend moved to San Bernardino in 1937 after graduating from UCLA. He was wounded in the South Pacific during combat as a Navy Seabee during World War II. He ran for city council twice and the mayor's post three times in the 1950s and 1960s.

The Rialto City Council last year voted to name a street after Townsend. Forecasts SAN BERNARDINO VALLEY: Today and Wednesday, some clouds but mostly clear. West to northwest winds to 15 mph afternoons. A little warmer with highs today mid- to upper 50s and Wednesday upper 50s to low 60s. Lows tonight mid-30s to low 40s.

MOUNTAINS: Some clouds but mostly clear through Wednesday. West to northwest winds 20 to 30 mph. Lows upper teens to upper 20s. Highs mid-308 to mid-40s. LOW DESERTS: Today and Wednesday, mostly clear with west to northwest winds to 25 mph.

Slightly warmer days with highs 58 to 66, lows 36 to 45. HIGH DESERTS: Today and Wednesday, mostly clear with slightly warmer days. West to northwest winds to 30 mph. Highs today 45 to 52. Wednesday 48 to 55, lows 25 to 35.

BEACHES: Today and Wednesday, Mostly clear with west winds to 15 mph during afternoons. A little warmer with highs today 56 to 60. Wednesday 58 to 63. lows 35 to 43. LOS ANGELES: Today and Wednesday, some clouds but mostly clear.

West to northwest winds to 15 mph afternoons. A little warmer with highs today upper 50s and Wednesday low 60s. Lows tonight low to mid-40s. SAN DIEGO: Frost advisory inland tonight. Fair today and Wednesday with cold nights and slightly warmer days.

Highs 57 to 62 today and 58 to 64s Wednesday. Coastal lows 37 to 47 tonight. Inland lows 30 to 40 tonight with frost in cold areas. High Low George AFB 48 32 Lake Arrowhead 33 22 LomaLmda 42 16 Needles 62 34 Ontario 54 34 Redlandi High Low Hialto 58 37 Riverside 58 36 San Antonio 60 40 Twentynine Palms 54 33 WngWwood 30 14 Yucaipa 52 34 Yucca Valley High Low BarMow 58 28 Big Bear 44 06 Cotton 59 34 Daggett 55 28 Death Valley Devon 58 30 Fontana 66 36 TODAY'S STATE FORECAST Northern California Valentine's: Day celebrated many ways ff 5138 I' I LakeTehoe. 3202 1 BacnmenteX 1 6234 3 Franclac San Jot If 5840 Frn5434 Santa Barbara 5738 I San Bemarriffle t5535 Palm i SPl FORECAST: Fair except partly cloudy over higher mountains.

EXTENDED FORECAST: Partly cloudy north and fair south Thursday. Increasing clouds Friday with chance showers over northern mountains and along coast from Shelter Cove northward. Showers likely north Saturday; chance showers elsewhere. Central California FORECAST: Fair through Wednesday except patchy fog late night and morning hours and a few clouds over high Sierra. EXTENDED FORECAST: Local fog night and morning hours.

Otherwise fair Thursday and Friday. Increasing clouds Friday night and Saturday. Chance of showers north of Monterey to Yosemite line Saturday. Extended forecasts Thursday through Saturday VALLEY: Partly cloudy, cool, breezy with slight chance showers, mainly south. Highs 52 to 62, lows 35 to 45.

MOUNTAINS: Partly cloudy and cold with gusty winds; chance snow above 5.000 feet. Highs 32 to 45, lows 15 to 28. DESERTS: Partly cloudy, cool and breezy High Desert highs 48 to 55, lows 25 to 35 Low desert highs 58 to 65, lows 35 to 45. 6138a' San Diego 6047 Yesterday's state temperatures 06 06 07 02 44 57 38 39 57 40 58 35 60 45 55 35 29 01 58 38 45 23 55 37 60 33 58 41 5 36 57 37 65 36 58 46 58 42 56 43 61 44 Paso Robles BedBiull Redwood City Sacramento Saunas San Gabriel San Diego San Francisco San Jose Santa Ana Santa Barbara Santa Cruz San Luis Obispo Santa Maria Santa Monica Stockton Tanoe Valley Torrance Westwood Yosemite Vly Long Beach Los Angeies Marysviiie Monrovia Moniebeiio Monterey Newport Beach Oakland Paim Springs Pasaoena 54 40 53 42 55 34 54 40 53 45 55 42 66 36 66 36 High Low Prep 57 29 53 29 46 17 62 38 53 43 49 39 54 35 47 29 23 Bakersfield Beaumont B'snop B'ytne Cataima Culver City Eureka Fresno Lancaster 08 28 04 for a box of truffles at See's Candies in the Inland Center Mall Saturday. He was taking no chances in his campaign to woo back his ex-girlfriend.

"She loves dark chocolate truffles," he said. The balloons that owner Wafaa Crapo sells at The Balloon Lady in San Bernardino are a little more colorful. She sells bouquets of helium-filled balloons starting at $19. Each includes a heart-shaped balloon with a Valentine's message printed on it. The messages range from "Be My Valentine" to "Crazy For You," she said.

The Balloon Lady also sells "hot-air balloons" helium-filled balloons with flower-filled baskets hanging beneath them. Kit Kat Krazy Kapers offers balloons as well as singing telegrams and strippers, Bollinger said. "Valentine's Day is one of our biggest times of the year," she said. Besides the giant heart, female strippers and singers are sent out costumed as Dolly Parton, Playboy Bunnies and as humorous "bag ladies," Bollinger said. Men are sent out dressed as Chippendales dancers with red spandex pants and as nerds, she said.

For $55, the entertainers show up and sing songs like "My Funny Valentine," Bollinger said. For $75 and up, they will strip to varying degrees. Kit Kat employees will go out on about 50 jobs today, she said. Bollinger, 26, said she is scheduled to go to a local bar as Dolly Parton. "I love it," she said of the job.

"I wouldn't trade it for anything." For the Dolly role, Bollinger said, she will have to dip into the balloon supply. "I think she's an 'F' Continued fromA1 he said. Valentine's Day is the second-busiest holiday for the post office, behind Christmas, Coppola said. "I'm predicting close to a million tonight," he said Monday. About 20 people in San Bernardino County ordered a dozen long-stemmed chocolate chip cookies from The Long-Stemmed Chocolate Chip Cookie Co.

in Garden Grove. The cookies are stuck onto silk stems with "chocolate, edible glue," said Kristina Krause, owner of the Orange County-based company. The "flowers" are $22.95 a dozen and are delivered in a transparent box nestled in green tissue paper, Krause said. The box is wrapped with a red ribbon. For some, candy and real flowers are still the gifts of choice.

John Granado, an admitted romantic, bought two boxes of chocolates for his wife at the Central City Mall Monday afternoon. "She likes candy," he said. Granado also will give his wife a card and flowers and will take her out for a steak dinner. In return, he said, his wife usually gives him "a card sometimes a little money." Danet Hayden, manager of Morrow's Nut House in the Inland Center Mall, said personalized candy baskets are popular at her store. Morrow's fills baskets with candy and then puts in extra gifts customers bring in, Hayden said.

Some gifts included in past baskets: gourmet coffees, engagement rings, photos and lingerie. The candy-filled baskets start at $15. Tom Brown of San Bernardino bypassed baskets SMOG REPORT Yesterday's Peak Ozone Levels Today's Forecast 100 MARITIME Marine forecast POINT CONCEPTION TO MEXICAN BORDER: Through tonight, dgnt vanaoie winds eceot west to northwest 15 knots with 3-'oot seas this afternoon. Swell west 3 teet Some clouds but mostiyclear. OUTER WATERS: Through tonight, west to northwest winos 10 to 20 knots.

Seas 4 teet. Swell northwest 4 leet Widely scattered snowers and thunoerstorms ending this evening Some clouds but mostly Clear. 75 Ozone irritates the lungs and impairs breathing. An ozone level or 100 is considered unheaithtul tor sensitive people. Days in which ozone levels exceed 100 are considered unheaithtul.

and sensitive people are advised to avoid outdoor eercise A first-stage smog aiert is caned when the level averages 200 for an hour or more A second stage aien is called at level 275. Unneaitntul days this year: Rediands 0 San Bernardino 0. Fontana 0 Crestline 0. 50 25 Tides Today 4 00 am. 5 2 high 12 03 pm.

-02 low 7 12 pm 13 3 high 10 S3 p.m. 2 8 low Wednesday 5 13am. 5 4 high 12 54pm-06 low 7 48 pm. 3 6 high Rdlnds SB. Fntna Crstln Wednesday Feb 15.

1989 sunnse6 35a Wednesday. Feb 15,1989 sunset 5 32 p.m. Readings are taken at Long Beach Surf Sun and moon Tuesday Feb 14.1989 sunset 5 31pm March 14 Surf Prd. Exception 0-3 10 None 0-3 10 None 0-4 10 None 0-3 10 None February I February 28 March 7 1 Full Moon VI Last Quarter 7 New Moon Vlv BEACH AREA Los Angeies County Orange County San Oiego County Baroara-Ventura Swell direction: Westerly. First Quarter Veteran: War's reality tested his values TODAY'S NATIONAL FORECAST FOREIGN Detroit Rllllnai N.2012sn '32 cdy Boston D32rn rev' rn r.anPrtnctoc6T omna -493-r i i.33l4cd7V-'- WaaWnsjonJ WnmnXI.C.4 KanaaaCltv LoWtht Jerusalem 39 32 Amsterdam 39 34 cir Lisdou 63 48 clr Athens 56 39 cir London 48 41 rn Bangnok 91 72 clr Madrid 55 37 clr Bartodos 75 73 cir Manna 84 72 cir Beijing 48 28 clr Mexico City 70 45 clr Belgrade 43 32 coy Montreal 77 21 ccty Berlin 43 36 rn Moscow 30 30 cdy Bermuda 69 59 cdy Osio 43 30 cdy Brussels 46 32 Clr Paris 54 39 cdy Aires 72 rn Rio 95 70 cdy Cairo 59 45 clr Rome 61 30 cdy Canary 34 25 cdy Sao Paulo 77 66 cdy Copenhagen 45 36 cir Singapore 88 73 coy Dublin 52 37 rn Stockholm 43 37 clr F'anirturt 43 32 cdy Sydney 83 70 cir Geneva 41 30 clr Taipei 64 55 cdy Havana 76 70 cdy TeiAvrv 59 45 rn Helsinki 36 32 cir Tokyo 48 39 clr Hong Kong 63 54 clr Toronto 30 21 sn Istanbul 46 30 clr Vancouver 43 23 cdy p45cdy l30il, LOS BrmflHM W'tOVUI imblHaVjl arte (ton N43cV phimi, 1 163 54 re 554 cir with cancer and other diseases from contact with Agent Orange won a $180 million lawsuit against U.S.

chemical companies, the chemical still is being used today in Central America, he said. When Romo isn't working as chief steward for the Chicago post office mail union, he is on the college lecture circuit talking about his experiences and opinions of the Vietnam War and urging students to prevent similar wars elsew here. His organization, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, has 50,000 members. "We want people to be absolutely reminded that the Vietnam vets were against the war. Whether it's Russians in Afghanistan or Americans in El Salvador, they don't have a right to be there." The series of talks, all at 11 a.m.

in Room 100 of the Liberal Arts building, will include: today, James Sandoz, a Vietnam veteran who teaches history at the University of Rediands; Wednesday, William Mehedy, chaplain during the war and now chaplain at the University of California, San Diego, and Friday, Larry Homan, of the Vietnam Outreach Center in Riverside. Continued fromA1 lead man to step on a mine. You waited to get shot. And you did that for 45 days at a time," Romo said. "Combat isn't like it is on TV.

It produces an incredible psyche. A psyche where you want to get shot at because it gives you a reason to shoot back." Romo said he still has nightmares and occasionally goes without sleep for a week at a time. Romo said 60,000 Americans were killed in Vietnam and 120,000 Vietnam veterans committed suicide after the war. He was asked about Americans missing in action or being held as prisoners of war. Romo said there are none and labeled as charlatans those who prey on the American public to raise money under the guise of bringing back the missing in action.

The chemical defoliant Agent Orange damaged not only American troops but unborn Vietnamese children, Romo said. "Sixteen percent of Vietnamese children are born with birth defects today because of Dioxin-based chemicals." Although 20,000 Vietnamese veterans stricken Hffiolulu. vft845cdy twoacir t3TV Houston 57 38cdy 73 52cdy Today Pre HI Lo Tomorrow OttkHI LoOttk Yesterday Hi lo 35 09 40 36 33 27 79 49 39 22 63 44 44 20 30 15 43 33 33 18 46 30 32 20 40 15 42 22 43 35 Reagan: Briefs allege involvement in deals Yesterday Today Tomorrow HI Lo Pre HI Lo OtikHI Lo Otk Detroit 4027 11 3932cdy39 30 sn Duiuth 31 26 07 19 03 cdy 09 01 cdy EiPaso 62 44 57 33 cdy 57 31 cdy Fairoanks 26 14 01 33 13 cdy 32 08 cdy Fargo 23 14 15 06 cdy 00 -12 cdy F'agstaH 36 12 32 17 cdy 34 12 cdy Grand Rapids 36 26 18 36 29 cdy 36 27 sn Great Fans 23 14 15 08 sn 08 -02 sn Harttord 34 14 48 30 rn 47 43 Heiena 25 17 03 20 08 sn 12 05 sn Honolulu 79 62 82 65 clr 82 66 clr Houston 76 68 01 78 66 Cdy 76 65 rn IndianaooHs 43 31 .05 42 35 rn 45 32 Jackson.Miss. 78 56 78 61 rn 71 58 Jacksonville 76 37 81 56 clr 81 58 clr Juneau 34 20 37 24 cdy 36 21 cdy KansasCity 40 32 14 36 26 cdy 33 22 cdy Lasvegas 54 28 48 30 cir 52 31 clr Liflie floe 68 47.20 6354m 58 48 Louisville 47 33 1.69 51 45 rn 56 45 rn LuDOock 67 38 45 30 cdy 46 26 cdy Mempnis 70 50 08 66 61 rn 61 58 rn Miami Beach 76 69 81 71 cdy 82 73 cdy Milwaukee 3627263323cdy33 20 cdy Mpis-St Paul 33 25 24 24 08 cdy 18 07 cdy Nashvine 6938206255 60 56 rn NewOieans 7954 73 52 cdy 75 63 cdy New York City 38 26 53 36 rn 55 47 rn Nortoik.va. 50 34 74 46 cdy 72 56 cdy Yesterday Today Tomorrow Hi Lo Pre HI Lo 0t Hi Lo Crttk Aibany 32 07 43 28 rn 40 33 AibuQuerque 49 31 48 78 cdy 46 26 cdy Amarmo 52 30 40 24 cdy 42 21 cdy Anchorage 28 24 33 20 cdy 30 26 cdy Atlanta 73 48 71 51 cdy 67 54 cdy Atlantic City 40 13 47 37 rn 48 45 rn Austin 77 66 78 64 cdy 74 60 cdy Baltimore 38 19 46 32 rn 55 41 rn Billings 27 19 02 20 12 sn 10 00 sn Birmingham 68 49 74 56 cdy 75 59 rn Bismarck 26 20 18 05 cdy 04 -10 cdy Boise 31 10 30 10 cdy 34 15 cdy Boston 34 22 50 32 rn 48 45 rn Buflaio 39 13 40 35 43 33 Burnngton.Vt.

31 03 40 25 35 25 sn Casoer 20 11 13 22 -01 cdy 21 02 sn Chanesion.se. 66 49 78 54 clr 78 55 clr Chaneston YVVa. 44 23 1 15 61 44 rn 63 51 Chanorte N.C. 6042 70 45 cdy 70 50 cdy Cheyenne 21 13 01 24 04 cdy 24 06 sn Chicago 37 36 21 35 27 cdy 36 25 cdy Cincinnati 46 31 .71 52 44 rn 56 44 Cleveland 42 21 43 36 rn 48 39 Co'umOusOhio 44 28 19 47 42 rn 53 43 Concord.NH. 3005 46 23 43 35 rn Daiias-Ft Worth 72 54026845cdy63 49cdy Dayton 46 30 22 46 41 rn 5240 rn Denver 28 20 01 28 12 sn 30 11 sn Dei Moines 35 27 56 31 15 cdy 29 14 sn 08 cdy 30 cdy 16 cdy 62 clr 45 rn 43 clr 42 rn 35 rn 30 cdy 45 50 cdy 06 cdy 14 cdy 46 cdy 33 19 sn 61 cdy 12 sn 29 cir 60 06 cdy 14 cdy 34 rn 63 clr 22 cdy 38 clr 30 cdy 44 rn 22 cdy 42 rn 31 09 94 46 32 15 33 14 84 59 49 37 69 43 02 49 39 44 25 46 31 52 33 70 45 28 08 35 11 .07 60 39 19 38 33 10 33 17 78 66 06 26 18 44 31 02 71 60 .08 30 07 30 14 45 29 82 61 33 24 57 38 46 46 33 03 48 36 06 36 24 49 36 sn 27 cdy 44 cdy 29 clr 84 rn 52 cdy 61 rn 51 rn 43 cdy 46 rn 50 cdy 72 cdy 18 cir 38 Cdy 62 cdy 40 sn 34 cdy 74 cdy 28 cir 42 71 cdy 21 cdy 30 46 dr 84 cdy 31 cdy 59 cdy 45 rn 66 cdy 33 58 North arte OkianomaCrty Omana Oriando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh PortiandMaine Poniand.Ore.

Providence Raleigh RapidCrty Reno Ricnmond St Louis San UxeCrty San Antonio Si Ste Mane Seattle Shreveport Sioux Fails Spokane Syracuse Tampa-StPlrsbg Topena Tucson Tuisa wasnmgton.D YVicrma Wilmington, Dei 33 18 81 67 30 18 41 34 73 54 31 20 34 12 34 07 81 49 40 37 38 28 40 30 39 20 uled a public hearing on the proposal for Tuesday afternoon. The briefs by North's lawyers were released late Monday after Gesell, obviously nettled by the arguments during a morning hearing on limiting the evidence, ordered them and documents submitted by the special prosecutor in the case declassified by security experts and made public. Although one of the documents was labeled "Top Secret Codeword," "much of the material in these papers was not top secret at all," the judge said. In their filings, North's lawyers allege that at least five other senior American officials besides Reagan were personally involved in soliciting aid from foreign nations for the Contras. They were identified as former Secretary of State George P.

Shultz; Robert C. McFarlane, Reagan's national security adviser; former Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger; John Vessey, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and William J. Casey, the former director of central intelligence. Continued fromA1 the rebels.

However, it is unclear whether such arrangements would have violated Congress' intent if those nations were repaid with American money or other assistance for their miliatry aid to the rebels. North's lawyers did not state the basis for their contentions. Reagan's spokesman in California, Mark Weinberg, said the president would not comment on pending legal matters. The briefs submitted by North's lawyers argue that a proposal by prosecutors to limit the disclosure of state secrets during the proceeding would violate the former national security aide's right to a fair trial. Judge Gerhard A.

Gesell of the federal district court here, who is hearing the case, decided earlier in the day to postpone opening arguments in North's trial for at least two days so that he could consider the prosecutors' proposal on the issue of secrets that might be used as evidence. He sched Weapons: Rare Assembly session debates ban Pakistan: Anti-American feelings test Bhutto His colleague, Jimmy Trahin, agreed that the use of military assault weapons is increasing dramatically, 500 percent over the last 10 years. But he stressed they're far from the only guns used by gangs. "It (an assault weapon) is not just the weapon of choice because they will use any kind of weapon," said Trahin, a weapons expert. Lizotte said the weapons most often used in crimes are handguns and sawed -offshotguns.

But Attorney General John Van de Kamp said the assault weapons should be singled for a specific legislative ban because "these weapons are designed for mass murder and they do not belong in the hands of any civilian in this In a videotape, former Sen. H.L. Richardson, who has fought gun control laws for years, said such a ban would be tough to enact without also banning semi-automatic hunting rifles since the firing mechanism is the same in ail semi-automatic guns. "One's pretty and one's ugly," the Lake Arrowhead Republican said, holding up a menacing military gun and a beautifully crafted hunting rifle. "How are you going to outlaw one without outlawing the other?" If a ban is enacted, Assemblyman Jerry Eaves, D-Rialto, said he fears that "the manufacturer will change a gun enough so it doesn't fit the definition of that gun." Continued fromA1 meeting on a bill by Assemblyman Mike Roos, D-Los Angeles, to ban such weapons is scheduled for Feb.

28. Assault weapons generally are considered to be a semiautomatic rifle or handgun, designed for military use and containing a clip of 20 rounds or more. Each shot is fired individually as fast as a person can pull a trigger. In testimony before the Assembly on Monday, experts painted a picture of a violent society but one in which assault rifles play an unclear role. Dr.

Garen Wintemute of the University of California Davis Medical School said firearm injuries are the eighth leading cause of death in California; they were involved in 4,073 deaths in 1986. He had no statistics on deaths caused by use of assault weapons. Nationwide, there are 500,000 assault weapons, but they represent only one-quarter of 1 percent of the all the guns in the country, according to Alan Lizotte, an assistant professor of criminology at the State University of New York in Albany. Los Angeles police differed over the role that assault weapons play in crimes. For gang members, Lt Bruce Haggerty said, "their weapons of choice now are military assault rifles." Continued fromA 1 censorship was government policy.

Prime Minister Bhutto suggested Monday night that the demonstration was an attempt by the political opposition to create a breakdown of law and order. Speaking at a news conference on her return from China, Ms. Bhutto said that if the demonstration was an outburst of Islamic anger, it should be seen more as anti-Western than as specifically anti-American. "The question that perturbs the present government was whether the agitation was really against the book, which has not been read in Pakistan, is not for sale in Pakistan and has not been translated in Pakistan," she said. "Or was it a protest by those people who lost the election, or those people who were patronized by martial law to try and destabilize the process of democracy?" "The dying order always likes to give a few kicks before it goes to rest," she said.

Monday, the American Embassy issued a statement offering condolences to the families of those who died when the Pakistani police opened fire on the crowd. The statement said: "The United States government in no way supports or associates itself with any activity that is in any way oll'ensive or insulting to islam or any other religion. The government and people of the United States have the greatest respect for the religious beliefs of the people of Pakistan.".