Brazilian samba dancers anger Lebanon's Muslim scholars

Beirut, Lebanon - Lebanese Muslim scholars on Thursday expressed anger against a Brazilian dance group now touring Lebanon and demanded that the group be banned in the country. "This is not dancing, but it is nude dancing which is against our Muslim ethics," said Sheikh Ali Ammar, one of 50 scholars calling on the govenrment to ban the group from performing in southern Lebanon.

The call came as the Brazilian dance group was getting ready to perform in the southern port city of Tyre later Thursday.

Tyre is mainly inhabited by Muslim Shiites who are loyal to the radical Hezbollah group.

The Brazilian dancers have been been performing throughout Lebanon since September 23 as part of a coffee festival.