Racial Attacks in U.S. Worry Prime Minister

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has expressed concern to President Bush after a Sikh immigrant was slain and several other Sikhs were assaulted in the U.S. following last week’s attacks in New York and Washington, an Indian government statement said.

U.S. authorities believe that the Sikhs, who wear turbans and have beards, may have been mistaken for Afghans and possible supporters of militant Osama bin Laden, a prime suspect in last week’s suicide attacks.

An Arizona man was charged Sunday with first-degree murder in the killing of gas station attendant Balbir Singh Sodhi, 49, near Phoenix.

Vajpayee’s comments came in a 10-minute telephone conversation late Sunday after Bush called to thank him for New Delhi’s support of U.S. efforts against terrorism, the statement said.