SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: TERRORIST ATTACKS IN LONDON

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SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: TERRORIST ATTACKS IN LONDON


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The Roots of Terrorism
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1. The government-owned Arabic-language daily "Oman" published an
editorial on July 11 entitled "The Search For Solutions To
Violence":

"Wars do not solve the phenomena of terrorism and violence. The
solution requires a serious effort to understand terrorism's
roots and causes. British PM Tony Blair previously spoke of the
necessity of studying the roots of terrorism, claiming that
strict security procedures alone would not prevent terrorist
attacks. The London bombings, tragically, underscored his point.
Terrorism is an international problem that has neither a
nationality nor a religion. This means that connecting terrorism
with a certain religion is a fatal mistake which can only lead to
hatred between countries."

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The Insanity of Terrorism
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2. Abdullah al-Alyan penned an opinion piece in "Oman" on July
11, entitled "The Insanity Of Targeting The Innocents":

"The terrorist bombs that exploded in London revealed the
insanity of terrorism, in which everybody is a target. The goal
of this attack was to scare the innocents: men, women, and
children, regardless of whether or not they had any role in the
policies of their countries. Such random killings are condemned
by all religions and civilizations. If it is discovered that a
certain Islamic group is behind these attacks, it must be
remembered that such crimes are not condoned by any Islamic
teachings or morals. Rather than accomplishing its objective,
this heinous act will only increase the difficulties for Muslims
residing in Britain and other Western nations, taking us back to
the sorrowful time after the 9/11 incidents."

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The Double Standard of Terrorism
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3. Also in "Oman" on July 11, Dr. Obaid al-Shaqsi, a professor at
Sultan Qaboos University, wrote an op-ed under the headline "The
Fruits Of The War On Terror":

"A recent editorial in a leading British newspaper acknowledged
the double standard that exists when American or British
casualties are compared to Third World casualties, particularly
in Arab and Muslim countries. Leaders and decision makers in
Britain and the U.S. describe foreign deaths as `collateral
damage,' while their own losses are termed `inhuman,' `horrible,'
and - as Tony Blair put it - `barbaric.' But is the suffering of
an American or a British citizen any different from the suffering
of an Iraqi or an Afghan? Violence is violence, whether it comes
in the form of a destructive war or in the form of terrorist
attacks against innocent civilians. Both activities are designed
to deprive human beings of the right to live."

BALTIMORE