In just one day the United States committed two acts of terrorism against two neighboring Arab people. Early in the day American television stations acting on government orders showed the gruesome pictures of Uday and Qusay, sons of the former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, killed by American forces in Iraq. Parading the bodies in this gruesome, humiliating way was a desecration of human sanctity. According to Muslim tradition, the bodies should have been buried as soon as possible. Displaying them for several days was not just grisly but a sign of religious disrespect. Moreover, the display was hypocritical. Americans always complain when their dead are displayed in public. They preach civilized values then indulge in medieval barbarity.

The goal was to frighten and terrorize the Iraqi people, reminding them they could face the same fate. It was a crime documented on television to serve as the first of its kind in the history of wars.

By midday Washington decided to withhold 28 pages of a congressional report on the Sept. 11 attacks that implicate the Kingdom. Again, the goal was to scare and terrorize the Saudi people and government because the alleged evidence remains the monopoly of the American government to use it as it wishes.

The intelligence agencies that insisted the 28 pages be stricken off the report are the same ones who detained Saudi Omar Bayoumi for months and then suddenly released him, bought him a ticket and put him on a flight back home. These are same agencies that are now demanding Bayoumi’s head.

The US is behaving like a giant rogue elephant.

A day after the Sept. 11 attacks US authorities arrested Omar Mousavi, then described as the 20th hijacker. All they got from him was a forged identity card. Why didn’t the hundreds of detainees in Guantanamo and those jailed inside the US provide details to the thousands of investigators interrogating them day and night? Why is the US refusing to let Binalshibh, who the Americans claim is the mastermind of the attacks, face Mousavi? What evidence does the US want above what it can get from those languishing in its prisons?

We shouldn’t be surprised if tomorrow the rogue elephant released the mastermind and the 20th hijacker and sent them home after paying for their air tickets.

America, we say we are not going to be the next target. We are a friendly, peace-loving people, but we will not kneel down except in prayer to Allah.