The half-hearted expression of support last week was the most that the American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Elections (AMT) was prepared to give the Massachusetts senator after months of behind-the-scenes negotiations with his campaign officials.

Earlier the Washington Post endorsed John Kerry for president in an editorial yesterday, saying the choice was not an easy one but that President George W. Bush had not earned a second term in office.

"On balance... we believe Mr Kerry, with his promise of resoluteness tempered by wisdom and open-mindedness, has staked a stronger claim on the nation's trust to lead for the next four years," the Post said.

The president's record "particularly in foreign affairs, can't be judged with a simple aye or nay," the influential daily said, lauding him for rallying the nation view after September 11, transforming Afghanistan and "beginning to reshape a Middle East policy too long centered on accommodating friendly dictators."

But the Post faulted Bush for exaggerating intelligence about the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, alienating allies unnecessarily and ignoring advice on post-war conditions in Iraq.

"The damage caused by that willful indifference is incalculable," the Post said, noting that US prestige in much of the world is at an "historic low."

"(AMT) is calling on Muslims nationwide to cast a protest vote for Sen. John Kerry," the group said, expressing "disappointment" with what it described as an "insensitive" Bush administration.

"Mindful of disagreements with Sen. Kerry on some domestic and international issues, including the war in Iraq, we are willing to work with him to help restore due process and equal justice in accordance with the US constitution," the AMT endorsement said.

Explaining its stance, the panel blamed the Kerry campaign's failure to publicly commit to a broad civil rights agenda that included prohibitions on ex-post facto laws, secret evidence and secret proceedings.

"The Democrats have not shown the courage of their convictions," said task force chairman Agha Saeed.

Kerry campaign aides did not return repeated calls seeking comment, but privately, one senior figure close to the AMT claimed the Kerry campaign had "stonewalled" the panel for fear of alienating Jewish voters.

In any event, a string of polls, taken before and after the endorsement decision, show most Muslims will back the Massachusetts senator over the Republican incumbent, President George W. Bush, on November 2.

A poll released this week by the Council on American-Islamic Relations put support for Kerry amongst likely US Muslim voters at 80 percent, compared to a mere two percent for the president.

Their support could be important given their numbers in swing states such as Ohio, Florida and Michigan, where Kerry is in a virtual dead heat with Bush.

For many, however, it will be a tactical vote rather than a heartfelt one.

"I'm sorry to say it, but that's the way it is," said Nidal Elayan, 38, who is backing Kerry, even though "he's just like Bush on the Middle East and he voted for the Patriot Act."

In the eyes of the Palestinian-born computer programmer, the imperative this election year is to get rid of Bush, and voting one's conscience is a luxury he cannot afford.

Many in the grassroots community and even the leadership favour the independent candidate Ralph Nader -- but not enough to risk a Bush victory. A long-shot, Nader is only on the ballot in 34 of 50 states.

"A lot of Muslims want to vote on principle for Nader," said community activist Haaris Ahmad on the sidelines of a Muslim election forum in suburban Detroit this month.

"Most of the community is not excited about voting for Kerry. He hasn't offered us much of an alternative to Bush. He hasn't reached out to us. Unfortunately, we have no choice."

Polls show the overarching issue for most of the three million registered Muslim voters is civil liberties, and the perceived erosion of them by Bush's Republican administration in its prosecution of the war on terror.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is also front and center for many Arabs along with the situation in Iraq.

The community is not monolithic, however, and Arab-Americans are a minority of the nation's Muslim Americans.

The majority, like Sikander Khatri, come from South Asia. His most pressing concern is the administration's handling of Iraq.

"I'm glad Saddam Hussein is out of power, but right now he's sitting pretty in a prison cell and innocent people are getting killed," the 57-year-old businessman said.

"We're making enemies left and right. We're destablising the whole region ... and I don't see any end to it," he said. "I'm a core Republican, but I'm voting Kerry."