MEDIA REACTION ON 9/11, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002052 SIPDIS FOR WHA/PDA (OHILTON),IIP/G/WHA, IIP/T/ES FOR S/CT AND WHA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP PREL KPAO PTER HO SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON 9/11, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 ¶1. Editorial in Tegucigalpa-based moderate daily "El Heraldo" on 9/11, entitled "Three years later." "Three years after the devastating attacks against the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, symbols of the U.S. economic and military power, Islamic and other anti-Western extremists have caused chaos around the world, where terrorism grows while freedom decreases." "If Osama bin Laden and the leaders of Al Qaeda wanted to unleash the irrational anger of the sole global superpower to get more followers out of the bloody remains of the war against terrorism, it appears that they've accomplished that goal, perhaps beyond their own expectations." "The U.S. failure in the `war' against terrorism is evident. Neither the Americans nor any other person in the world is safe anymore. Meanwhile, the main leaders of Al Qaeda haven't been defeated yet: they keep planning other terrorist acts, threatening the world, and laughing at the Americans' `intelligence' and their technology. There's no doubt that 9/11 still has repercussions everywhere." ¶2. Editorial in San Pedro Sula-based liberal daily "La Prensa" on 9/11, entitled "Three years after." "Thirty-six months after the most serious attacks on American soil, the balance still is unclear, while the risks and fear still remain because the structures of terrorism have become stronger and more diversified. Now, terrorism may strike any place, any time, and we have to deal with it with determination because no one can feel totally safe, not even the children at their schools or the workers going to their jobs." "A terrorist is a terrorist, with no distinction. To yield to their demands isn't only a matter of weakness, but above all, an insult to the justice owed to the victims of evil and fanaticism." Palmer