INDIANAPOLIS, Jan 12: A US judge ruled on Friday that an American convicted of fighting alongside the Taliban must be allowed to pray daily in a group with other Muslim inmates at his high-security prison in Indiana.

Barring John Walker Lindh and other Muslim inmates from engaging in daily group ritual prayer violates a 1993 law that bans the government from curtailing religious speech without showing a compelling interest, Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson ruled.

The judge issued a permanent injunction blocking the prison from enforcing its ban on daily group prayer, but she said her ruling does not prohibit the prison from taking less restrictive security measures.

Group prayers had been allowed once a week and on high holy days such as Ramazan or Christmas in the Communications Management Unit at the prison complex at Terre Haute, Indiana. But at other times, inmates had to pray alone in their cells.

The same restrictions applied to inmates of other religions, prison officials said.—AP