Romneyshambles: Republican presidential candidate confuses Sikh and Sheik in in speech offering condolences

Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate for the 2012 US elections, was at a campaign event in Illinois speaking after a moment of silence was called for the six Sikh shooting victims of white supremacist Neo-Nazi killer Wade Michael Page.

“We had a moment of silence in honour of the people who lost their lives at that sheik temple. I noted that it was a tragedy for many, many reasons." 

"Among them are the fact that people, the sheik people, are among the most peaceable and loving individuals you can imagine, as is their faith. And of course, the person who carried out this heinous act was a person motivated by racial hatred and religious intolerance.” Romney was quoted as saying to reporters, mispronouncing the name of the religion.

Romney's spokesman Rick Gorka said that he did not intend to offend Sikhs and that the comment had come after a long day of campaigning across three states.

Romney recently hit the headlines in London, following a series of gaffes and was mocked on stage at Hyde Park by Boris Johnson.