WASHINGTON, 13 February — Islamic and Arab organizations have protested the anti-Islam remarks by US Attorney General John Ashcroft and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Asharq Al-Awsat reported. The American Muslim Council urged Ashcroft to clarify his alleged remarks that “Islam is a religion in which God requires you to send your son to die for Him.” A spokeswoman for the Justice Department has, however, denied Ashcroft’s statement. In London, an article written by Thatcher in the Guardian also created controversy. The Conservative baroness in her article compared Islam with Bolshevism. The Islamic groups have said the offensive article could trigger racist conflicts in the country.