Washington, May 14, SPA -- The United States insisted today that an inquiry into alleged desecration of the holy Quran by U.S. interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba would be carried out. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the Bush administration takes the allegation "very seriously" and reaffirmed that the Defense Department has launched an investigation. "We want Muslims around the world to know that we share and understand the concerns that they have," he said. "One of the values that we hold most dearly here in the United States is religious freedom and the ability of people to be able to worship freely," McClellan told reporters. "As Secretary [of State Condoleezza] Rice made clear yesterday, disrespect for the Holy Quran is something that the United States will never tolerate."--SPA1337 Local Time 1037 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/262201