group of American Muslim organizations has called for the United States to halt its bombing campaign in Afghanistan and instead develop "a more effective and long-term policy" to counter terrorism.

The document was signed by 15 groups, primarily small ones, but including two prominent organizations, the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Islamic Circle of North America. The statement was posted on the IslamiCity.com Web site.

In an interview, Naim Baig, general secretary of the Islamic Circle of North America, said the statement was drawn up at a meeting on Oct. 20 and 21 in Washington.

Mr. Baig said it reflected a concern among some American Muslims that "this bombing is not going anywhere, and more and more civilian casualties are going on." The United States began bombing Afghanistan on Oct. 7.

The statement, signed by groups representing public-policy organizations, students and journalists, among others, voices an "unequivocal condemnation" of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. But it says the bombing campaign is not in the interests of the United States or the rest of the world.

"The bombing victimizes the innocent, exacerbates the humanitarian disaster and creates widespread resentment across the Muslim world," the statement says.

The statement also says its signers believe it their "civic duty" to speak out in favor of the nation's long-term interests.

"We strongly reject the suggestion that opposing a certain policy of our government is tantamount to disloyalty," it says.

But in a sign that the bombing has produced differences in opinion among Muslim organizations, several major groups did not sign the statement, among them the American Muslim Council, Islamic Society of North America and the Muslim Public Affairs Council.

Aly R. Abuzaakouk, the American Muslim Council's executive director, said the organization stood by a statement it made on Oct. 8, expressing support for the Bush administration's campaign against terrorism and its pledge to avoid civilian casualties.

"We did call on the administration to really limit and concentrate on the campaign, which is against the terrorists, and safeguard the lives of the civilians," he said.

Mr. Abuzaakouk said he hoped the campaign would be over by the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which begins Nov. 17, although administration officials have said the campaign is not likely to be ended by then. Mr. Abuzaakouk also said the administration needed to emphasize that the United States cares about the Afghan people.

Salam Al-Marayati, executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said his organization had studied the statement asking for a halt to the bombing but decided not to sign, in part, he said, because it did not offer "practical alternatives" to the military campaign.

"We support the president's initiative to defeat terror," Mr. Al-Marayati said. "The country was attacked, and we want the perpetrators brought to justice."

Officials of the Islamic Society of North America could not be reached for comment.

Speaking for the Islamic Circle of North America, Mr. Baig said the statement represented a shift, as the organization had not originally opposed the bombing, as long as there were no Afghan civilian casualties. But reports of such casualties persuaded the organization to change its stand, he said.

He said the organization was concerned that the bombing of Afghanistan would ultimately work against American foreign policy interests.

"It's going to breed more anger" among Muslim nations, Mr. Baig said.