WASHINGTON : Many Muslims in the United States have decided to go against President George Bush and vote for his Democratic challenger, Senator John Kerry, in the Nov. 2 presidential elections.

The Muslim American Political Action Committee (MAPAC) has formally endorsed Kerry after what it calls “months of consideration, discussions with Muslim American leaders across the country, and extensive dialogue with the Kerry campaign and the Democratic party leadership.”

In a statement, Mukit Hossain, president of MAPAC, said, “What does it mean for Muslim Americans if President Bush is re-elected? It means more constricting laws and policies to curtail the civil liberties of the Muslim Americans, and harsher foreign policies toward Muslim countries — in the name of combating terrorism.

It also means a continuing and menacing rise of anti-Muslim sentiment in America, covertly nurtured by the neo-conservatives, and fanned by government officials like Lt. General Boykin and Attorney General John Ashcroft. Since Sen. Kerry is not controlled by religious and political ideologies, the possibility of anand productive dialogue with the Kerry administration for Muslim Americans remains alive.

MAPAC said in cooperation with the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation it has been creating a database of Muslim American voters in battleground and other states where there is a large presence of the community. According to preliminary findings, it says, battleground states such as Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida have enough Muslim American votes to provide a significant swing bloc.