George Clooney slams fabricated mother-in-law story

LONDON (KABC) -- A British website is apologizing to actor George Clooney after he slammed it for claiming his fiancee's mother opposed their marriage for religious reasons. The 53-year-old is engaged to London lawyer, Amal Alamuddin.

Mail Online, which is affiliated with Britain's Daily Mail tabloid, reported that she comes from a monotheistic religion, known as Druse, based mainly in Lebanon, Syria and Israel.

The religious sect, according to the website, practices violence against women who don't marry within the religion.

The website said Amal's mother, Baria Alamuddin, wanted her daughter to marry a Druse man. Clooney called the story "completely fabricated".

Mail Online removed the article and apologized, following a chastising article from Clooney published in USA Today.

It read in part: "The irresponsibility, in this day and age, to exploit religious differences where none exist, is at the very least negligent and more appropriately dangerous. We have family members all over the world, and the idea that someone would inflame any part of that world for the sole reason of selling papers should be criminal."

Alamuddin and Clooney were first photographed together in London in October, and have since traveled to Tanzania and New York together.

She is a British attorney who specializes in international law and human rights. The couple has not announced a date yet for their nuptials.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.