Discrimination against Muslims in the United States soared in 2003, increasing by 69 percent over the previous year, a US Muslim organisation reported Monday.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations logged 1,019 complaints from Muslims in 2003, compared to 602 in 2002.

Most complaints related to employment discrimination and refusals to accommodate Muslims who wanted to practice their religion, which requires five daily prayers.

Incidents of physical violence against Muslims doubled to 93 in 2003 from 42 in 2002, according to CAIR's report.

CAIR attributed the rise in discrimination to "a lingering atmosphere of fear" since the September 11, 2001, attacks, tensions over the war in Iraq and

anti-Muslim rhetoric in conservative radio shows.

CAIR reported that the controversial USA Patriot Act - a post-September 11 law that expanded police powers - has been unjustly used against Muslims, especially with regards to immigration.

CAIR cited a report from the US Justice Department's Inspector General's Office, which it said "flatly criticized the government for its relaxation of rules that purposefully blurred the distinction between immigration cases and terrorism investigations"

The increased discrimination could explain an 11-percent drop in students from about 20 Muslim countries, according to statistics from US universities cited by CAIR. There were 45,242 Muslim students in 2003, compared to 58,555 in 2002.