Sikhs in India protesting outside U.S. Embassy following shooting

OAK CREEK/INDIA (CNN) -- Sikhs around the world are mourning the victims of a rampage at a Wisconsin temple, which killed six people and wounded four. In the religion's birthplace, India, outraged Sikhs are protesting outside the U.S. Embassy.

Most of the world's 25 million Sikhs live in India. Only about 700,000 Sikhs live in the United States, according to a leading Sikh-American group.

Some Sikh men in the United States have been mistakenly targeted since 9-11 by people with anti-Islamic sentiment. Since Sikh men often wear beards and turbans, some of them have been mistaken for Muslims.

The Sikh religion originated in northern India around 1500 and has about 25 million followers.

The United States is home to about 700,000 Sikhs, nearly all of Indian origin. The men are easily identifiable by their beards and turbans, a tradition that's lasted for 500 years.

But the attire and appearance have also meant that they are often mistaken for Muslims and are targets of anti-Islamic attacks from those who seek to avenge the September 11 attacks.

The first person murdered in retaliation for the 9/11 attacks was a Sikh -- Balbir Singh Sodhi, a gas station owner in Mesa, Arizona. He was shot five times by aircraft mechanic Frank Roque on September 15, 2001.

In the intervening years, the Sikh Coalition, a New York-based advocacy group, reported more than 700 attacks or bias-related incidents.

Law enforcement sources say the gunman was 40-year-old Wade Michael Page.

The U.S. Army says Page was a Specialist who'd been discharged in 1998 for patterns of misconduct. At one point he held the rank of a Sergeant, but was disciplined and reduced in rank.