SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: LONDON TERROR ATTACKS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 003058

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KPAO PREL KU
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: LONDON TERROR ATTACKS


1. Summary: Local commentators aired widely divergent
reactions to the London terror attacks. Some called for
fighting terror by re-examining Islam and Arab culture to
root out the causes, and condemning Bin Laden and his
cohorts on religious grounds. Others implicitly blamed the
attacks on the U.S. and its policies, particularly in
Israel and Palestine. One commentator explicitly blamed
the terror on a "Zionist organization." Writing in pro-
government daily Al-Qabas, Saud Samaka wrote, "Winning the
war on terrorism will not be achieved only through arms
and weapons. We must lift the injustices in the world
before we fight the means of terrorism." End Summary.


2. Writing in pro-government daily Al-Anba on July 9,
Salah Al-Sayer wrote: "It is true that those terrorists
are heartless criminals, and that they do not represent
the core of [Islam] or its tolerant beliefs. But at the
end they remain Muslims, and Islam forbids calling Muslims
atheists. Our societies must admit this sour fact. Let us
not stray away from facts and waste time on matters that
could make fighting terrorism an impossible mission.
Muslims today have an obligation to serve their religion
by assessing the areas of weakness, and the reasons in our
culture that gave birth to these groups. Restoring our
image through the media after every terrorist operation is
no longer a useful counter-strategy."


3. Writing in Al-Anba on July 9, Sami Al-Nesf, media
advisor to the Prime Minister, wrote: "The search for Bin
Laden and bringing him to justice, or even killing him, is
no longer just the responsibility of the United States, or
the European countries. These countries are not the prime
victims of his crimes against humanity and innocent
citizens. There is a historic responsibility upon Arabs
and Muslims to find Bin Laden and put an end to his
crimes. After all it was them (Arabs and Muslims) that
harbored him, helped him grow and then escape. We look
forward to seeing a clear Fatwa [Religious Decree] that
condemns his bloodshed, and unlawful crimes. Only then
would the entire world believe that we condemn his acts
and abhor his repulsive crimes."


4. Writing in independent daily Al-Watan on July 9, Dr.
Ayed Al-Manna, advisor to the Kuwait Journalist's
Association, wrote: "Who would benefit from spreading
terror and the fear of death among public transportation
commuters? The public transportation system is not the
army of an aggressor, and it is not a military target.
Arabs and Muslims are going to be the primary suspect in
this incident and any similar attacks, until we can prove
otherwise. However, why do we accept the theory that Arab
or Muslim organizations were behind the planning and
execution of these attacks? Why not consider the
possibility that some Zionist organization was behind
these attacks? Everything is possible. It might be the
Al-Qaeda Organization in Europe that claimed
responsibility for the attack. But could this not be an
Arabic name for a Zionist organization? The other
scenario is if these terrorists were Arab agents
[defectors] working for the enemy against their countries.
Those would be a worse enemy than the enemy we face."


5. Writing in Al-Watan on July 9, Kuwait University
Professor of Political Science Dr. Abdullah Al-Shayji
wrote: "The war in Iraq has led to the mobilization of
Islamist jihadis [holy war warriors] who are capable of
shaking the peace and stability of other countries.
Terrorist missions in 2003 were 175 operations. In 2004
the number jumped to 655. All these operations have been
executed in the name of Islam, when Islam has nothing to
do with their claims. We have to admit that traditional
warfare has failed in defeating terrorism, because
terrorism has no home or identity. It has no address or
shape. Fighting terrorism must be done through fighting
its ideology. If the U.S. and its allies continue to
undermine this fact, and keep on taking the side of
international aggressors, and adopting double standard
policies, we are doomed to fail in our fight against
terrorism."


6. Writing in pro-government daily Al-Qabas on July 9,
Saud Samaka wrote: "Once again terrorism has shown its
ugly face in the heart of England's capital. Terrorism
once again is proving that it has no religion, and it does
not distinguish between friends and foes. Four years have
passed since the world declared a universal war against
this evil. Yet no victory has been achieved through
traditional warfare led by the U.S. and its allies. There
are facts that the U.S. and the whole world are ignoring.
The Palestinian issue: this is a prime reason of every
terrorist act. State terrorism was born when the world
ignored the Palestinians' struggle. . The Middle East
region continues to be ignored. Terrorism has made of
this region a battlefield for its operations. Winning the
war on terrorism will not be achieved only through arms
and weapons. We must lift the injustices in the world
before we fight the means of terrorism."

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