Hours after the White House called its reluctance "puzzling," Newsweek magazine is retracting a controversial report that sparked deadly protests in Afghanistan.

On Monday, White House spokesperson Scott McClellan was critical of the magazine for not retracting a story that claimed the Qur'an was desecrated by interrogators at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

"It's puzzling. While Newsweek now acknowledges that they got the facts wrong, they refuse to retract the story,'' McClellan told reporters. "I think there's a certain journalistic standard that should be met. In this instance it was not."

The story in question -- which claimed U.S. military investigators had found evidence that interrogators had placed copies of Islam's holy book in washrooms and even flushed one down the toilet -- was published in the May 9 edition of Newsweek.

Then, in its May 23 issue, the magazine reported that its source, a senior government official, had backed away from the initial story.

In his note to readers, Newsweek editor Mark Whitaker wrote in the edition released Sunday:

"We regret that we got any part of our story wrong, and extend our sympathies to victims of the violence and to the U.S. soldiers caught in its midst."

But in the interim, angry reaction to the article sparked protests across the Islamic world, leaving at least 15 people dead in Afghanistan.

With that in mind, McClellan on Monday called Whitaker's response insufficient.

"The report has had serious consequences. People have lost their lives. The image of the United States abroad has been damaged. I just find it puzzling."

Hours later, Whitaker released a statement through a spokesperson.

"Based on what we know now, we are retracting our original story that an internal military investigation had uncovered Qur'an abuse at Guantanamo Bay,'' Whitaker said.

Reaction to the May 9 story has been strong in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other Muslim countries.

Desecrating the Qur'an and Muhammad, Islam's prophet, is a death-penalty offence in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Pakistan's President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, both allies of Washington, have both demanded a probe of the reported desecration of the Qur'an.

In Afghanistan, Islamic scholars and tribal elders called for the punishment of anyone found to have abused the Qur'an, said Maulawi Abdul Wali Arshad, head of the religious affairs department in Badakhshan province.

Lebanon's most senior Shiite Muslim cleric said Sunday the reported desecration of the Qur'an is part of an American campaign aimed at disrespecting and smearing Islam.

Stephen Hadley, the U.S. national security adviser, has promised to investigate the allegation.

"If it turns out to be true, obviously we will take action against those responsible, Stephen Hadley said in an interview for CNN's "Late Edition."

Meanwhile, the religious leader in Pakistan, Ahmed, said Islamic groups in Pakistan, Egypt, Malaysia, Britain and Turkey plan to hold protests on May 27.

With files from The Associated Press