Lawmakers, Muslims criticize Prince Harry over offensive comments

LONDON -- Lawmakers, Muslim groups and the Pakistani public criticized Prince Harry on Sunday after a British newspaper published video footage of him using offensive and racist language.

Harry, third in line to the British throne and an army lieutenant, issued an apology Saturday after the News of The World reported he had used offensive terms to refer to people from Pakistan and people of Arab descent.

The paper reported that Harry made the remarks in 2006 during a visit to Cyprus to carry out training exercises with fellow military cadets. In part of the video apparently filmed by Harry himself, he refers to one colleague as "our little paki friend" -- using a derogatory term for people of Pakistani origin.

Iftikhar Raja told the BBC the cadet was his nephew Ahmed Raza Khan, who he said is now a captain in Pakistan's army.

In a second video clip, Harry calls another cadet -- who is wearing a headscarf -- a "raghead." The newspaper said the video was filmed by other cadets and supplied to the newspaper.

Harry's language "is sickening, and he should be thoroughly ashamed of himself," said Mohammed Shafiq, director of the Ramadan Foundation -- a British Muslim youth organization.

Labour Party lawmaker Khalid Mahmood, a Muslim, also criticized Harry over the comments. "He needs to understand that this is not acceptable, especially in light of the office that he is going to hold in the army and as a member of the royal family," Mahmood said.

St. James's Palace -- the office of Harry and his older brother, Prince William -- said on Saturday that Harry was sorry for any offense caused by his use of the word "paki." Spokesman Patrick Harrison said that Harry had used the other offensive term to refer to either the Taliban or Iraqi insurgents.

In Pakistan, many people reacted angrily to the report.

"Anything like this is unacceptable to us, even to anyone around the world. We have all the abilities to call the prince something or anything, and things about his father and mother, but we don't do that because we believe that is wrong," said Mohammad Arslan, a 33-year-old technician in the capital, Islamabad.

Barkat Ali, a 46-year-old driver in Islamabad, said the comments were regrettable, and called on Pakistan's government to seek an explanation from Harry and British leaders.

But Ibrar Ahmed, a schoolteacher in Multan, said most people had more important things to worry about. "Let's be fair about it. Dogs may bark, but people go about their business," Ahmed said.

Britain's defense ministry said it does not tolerate inappropriate behavior, but said no formal complaint had been raised against Harry over his comments.

Harry served with the British Army in Afghanistan for 10 weeks last year, but was withdrawn from the combat zone after his previously secret deployment became public.

Harry's behavior has hit the headlines several times before. He has previously acknowledged drinking underage and smoking marijuana. In January 2005, he apologized after being pictured in a newspaper at a costume party dressed as a Nazi, complete with a swastika armband.

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Associated Press writers Asif Shahzad in Islamabad and Khalid Tanveer in Multan, Pakistan, contributed to this report.