IRVINE, California, January 24 (IslamOnline.net) - The Muslim Football League in California is organizing a second tournament, inviting Christian and Jewish players to join in, a U.S. newspaper reported Friday, January 23.

The Interfaith Tournament is designed to reach out to other religious groups and put the politics on the shelf for a while, said the Chicago Tribune.

"They want to turn it into an opportunity to interact with others, socialize and do their favorite thing--play football," said Houssam Ayloush, executive director of the Southern California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

"They'll be sending a message and making a statement to everybody in the community who had doubts about them," he said.

Ayloush told the Los Angles Times that details of the next tournament, to be held this summer, have yet to be worked out, adding that formal invitations would be send to churches and synagogues.

The first tournament on January 4 gathered Muslims and non-Muslims in their late teens and early 20s.

Muslim players refused to change the names their teams like "Intifada" and "Mujahideen" after complaints from Jews, arguing that they meant no offence.

They said the names are stirring up enthusiasm and a show of support for Middle Eastern causes.

The effort is the latest in a series of Muslim campaigns intended to reach out to the other and refute stereotypes that surfaced after the 9/11 attacks.