The N.E.A. Web site also included a link that urged teachers to avoid blaming Muslims for the attacks.

The conference also denounced widespread attempts to blame religious Muslims for terrorist incidents.

The state's chief minister, Narendra Modi, in a news conference the day after the violence peaked, blamed Muslims for provoking the mob attacks.

Speaking at a public rally in April, Prime Minister Vajpayee seemed to blame Muslims for the recent violence.

But mainly I blame moderate Muslims.

On Monday, President Islam Karimov blamed militant Muslims with international connections, but the group he named did not have a record of militancy.

But the passage clearly does not mean that Al Qaeda should be exempt from blame; rather, it argues that teachers should not blame Muslims as a group.

'You can't blame us Muslims for everything.'

"Why are they blaming Muslims?"

The thesis that Islam is a "failed civilization" lashing out in resentment (109-13) does not jibe with bin Laden's view: he blames Muslims themselves (114-15).