FOX - MUSLIMS SLAM TV SHOW 24

MUSLIMS SLAM TV SHOW 24

TV show 24 has come under fire for their portrayal of Muslim groups in the latest series.

The series follows a day in the life of special agent Jack Bauer, played by Kiefer Sutherland, as the US faces a different terrorist threat throughout each series. The new season premiered in the US this week with 33 million tuning in to the show.

But the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) was less than pleased with the premiere of the Fox show in which Islamic terrorists detonated a nuclear bomb in heavily populated Los Angeles. It claims the show makes repeated links between Muslims and terrorism.

"The raw emotional impact of fictional scenes that include widespread death and destruction in America may adversely affect the public's attitude toward civil liberties, religious freedom and interfaith relations,'' said a statement from the group.

"The program's repeated association of acts of terrorism with Islam will only serve to increase anti-Muslim prejudice in our society.''

Fox has hit back over the claims, saying that it has not singled out ethnic groups in the popular show. Previous villains have included Anglo businessmen, Europeans, Germans, Russians, Islamic fundamentalists and the president of the United States.

"The show has made a concerted effort to show ethnic, religious and political groups as multidimensional, and political issues are debated from multiple viewpoints," the network wrote in a statement.