October 8, 2001

Many Arabs dubious of U.S. intent

By MARIAM FAM The Associated Press

CAIRO, Egypt - Moderate Arab countries were slow to comment on the U.S. and British strikes on Afghanistan, but in the streets across the Muslim world, many denounced it as a war against Arabs and Muslims.

Moustafa Abdel Salam, a 28-year-old Cairo accountant, said ``America is now fighting terrorism, when it is the one that has created terrorism from the beginning.''

He said he was worried the United States would use the attacks to falsely accuse Arab and Islamic countries of terrorism.

Many moderate Arab countries have expressed limited support for an anti-terrorism campaign, but have offered no troops.

In the hours after the U.S. assault, many remained silent, but anger over the U.S. move was widespread among ordinary citizens.

Kamal Ahmed, a Cairo cabdriver, said Arab countries should support Afghanistan because it's an Islamic country. ``They should back it financially and military,'' he said.

Since the terrorist attacks on Washington and New York, many Arabs and Muslims have rejected U.S. allegations that Osama bin Laden was behind the carnage.

``America should show us proof against bin Laden before hitting Afghanistan,'' said Rola al-Bosh, a 39-year-old Syrian who watched the strikes on Arab TV along with other patrons at the Havana Cafe in Damascus. ``And even if bin Laden is guilty, it's not fair that a whole people are being punished for the mistake of one man.''

Iraqi TV quoted President Saddam Hussein as calling the military action ``an act of aggression.''

``We do not think that any of those who are true believers in God can but condemn this action, not only because it is from America or because it is against Muslim people and a Muslim country, but because it is an act of aggression that runs contrary to international law,'' Saddam was quoted as saying.

Iraqi TV had earlier taken the unusual step of linking up with the popular Arabic satellite station Al-Jazeera to show live coverage of the strikes on the Afghan capital.

The link-up was abruptly ended when video of President Bush appeared on the station.

In Iran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Assefi called the attacks ``unacceptable,'' saying they were launched ``regardless of the world public opinion, especially the Muslim nations, and will damage the innocent and oppressed Afghans.''

Assefi, quoted by the Iranian news agency, IRNA, cautioned the United States to avoid Iranian air space.

``It's a shame that superpowers like Britain and the United States ally together against a small country'' such as Afghanistan, said Maamoun el-Hodeibi, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's biggest and banned Islamic opposition group.

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001