Thursday October 11 6:12 AM ET

Clinton Cancels Dubai Visit After U.S. Strikes

DUBAI (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has canceled a visit to the United Arab Emirates to launch a technology event after the launch of U.S.-led strikes on Afghanistan (news - web sites), the event's organizers said on Thursday.

Clinton had been due to speak at a dinner in Dubai on October 14 to launch an international technological achievement award, billed as the world's top information technology award.

``It was confirmed that Bill Clinton will not be attending due to the current international situation,'' Charlotte Dent, a spokeswoman for STARS 2001, told Reuters.

Dubai has toned down the Science, Technology and Arts Royal Summit (STARS 2001) after the September 11 attacks on America for which Afghan-based militant Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) is top suspect.

The killing of a Westerner in Kuwait on Wednesday fueled fears of reprisals by Muslim radicals inspired by the Saudi-born dissident.

Diplomats said a man in Saudi Arabia threw a fire bomb at a car driven by a German couple on Tuesday in an incident which may also have been linked to the raids. The couple were unhurt.

-- Anonymous, October 11, 2001