Arab League chief Amr Mussa said Saturday that the Arab world backs the United States in its declared war against terrorism, but refrained from pledging support to possible military action.
Mussa distanced himself and other Arabs from Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, under scrutiny for the September 11 attacks on the United States, saying he was not representative of the Arab people, in an interview with CNN.
"The Arab nations do stand ... with the United States ... against international terrorism. We are very clear in our position that we do reject any international crime of terrorism against anywhere, and in particular what happened a couple of days ago against the United States," he said.
The Arab League chief recalled US Secretary of State Colin Powell had defined the war against terrorism as "not necessarily military, but also economic, diplomatic, political and financial," in Mussa's words.
"I believe this kind of definition is very important and we stand ready to cooperate after proper consultations on what will be the action to come," he said, adding that he backed cutting off financial support to terrorist groups.
Mussa has spoken by telephone with Powell since hijacked airliners crashed into and demolished the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York on Tuesday, minutes before a third struck the Pentagon in Washington.
"Mr bin Laden does not represent the Arab societies or Arab people in whatever he does," Mussa said from Cairo. "We do condemn any terrorist actions that Mr bin Laden would undertake or has undertaken” -- CAIRO (AFP)
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