JEDDAH, 2 October - The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) yesterday reiterated its strong condemnation of terrorism, but withheld support for a UN resolution obliging member states to crack down on the sources of financial and logistical support for alleged terrorist groups.
The head of the world's largest Muslim organization also said the body was ready to help come up with a definition of "terrorism" to distinguish it from national resistance to foreign occupation.
Abdelouhed Belkeziz, the OIC secretary-general, said in a statement that he backs "UN Security Council Resolutions 1267, 1333 and 1368" which have been unanimously adopted, and urged OIC member states to deal positively with them.
But the statement failed to mention UN Resolution 1373 passed unanimously by the Security Council on Friday which many Muslim states consider controversial.
The OIC chief "expressed satisfaction about the positive cooperation of OIC member states with the latest international campaign to fight terrorism in all its forms," the statement said. But he "stressed the importance of distinguishing between terrorism carried out by certain groups and individuals, and national struggle by peoples for freedom from occupation and colonialism."
Belkeziz said the 57-member organization was prepared to participate in any effort aimed at "reaching a consensus about defining the concept of terrorism."
The Jeddah-based OIC, which represents the world's 1.2 billion Muslims, was due to hold an emergency meeting in Qatar next week to seek a united stand on any US military action against Afghanistan.
The chief diplomats of Islamic states will discuss "the issue of terrorism," attempts to "associate terrorism with Islam," and "the critical situation in the Palestinian territories," an OIC official told AFP on Sunday.
The ministers will also examine "the tragic situation of Afghan refugees and the consequences which US strikes on Afghanistan would have on the population" of the Muslim country, the official said.
The OIC has condemned the devastating attacks on New York and Washington that left nearly 7,000 people dead as "anathema to all human conventions and values."
But the prospect of retaliatory action against Afghanistan, a Muslim country whose OIC seat has been vacant since the Taleban militia seized power in Kabul in 1996, has divided the organization's member states.
Several Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, have urged the US and Europe to deal with the root causes of terrorism before launching attacks against suspected terrorist groups.
Interior Minister Prince Naif said on Sunday "all (sides concerned) should not focus only on fighting terrorism, but should look into its causes."
"The Palestinian issue must be resolved if we aim at uprooting the motives of terrorism in the Arab world... The position of the US and several European countries toward the Palestinian cause is unfair. They are only helping Israel," he added.
On channeling of charity funds for subversive activities, Prince Naif said the Saudi authorities are monitoring such transactions. "However, we believe in the secrecy of accounts within the framework of the law."
A number of Gulf states however have taken measures to control the outflow of funds raised by Islamic charity organizations following the latest Security Council resolution.
Kuwait's Cabinet on Sunday formed a ministerial committee to "organize the activities of non-governmental organizations," which include the country's Islamic charities.
