JEDDAH, 22 November 2003 — A number of Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, denounced yesterday as “acts of terrorism” the deadly attacks against British interests in downtown Istanbul.
“We regret and are profoundly indignant over what has happened in Turkey,” declared Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense aviation.
“The majority of Turkey’s inhabitants are Muslim, and any act of terrorism is intolerable,” Saudi Press Agency quoted Prince Sultan as saying. He added that “any terrorist act is a criminal act, which Islam and reason forbid.”
“We denounce these terrorist acts in all their forms and call on the members of the international community to join in the effort to eradicate this curse,” said the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister, Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem, in a message addressed to his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.
An official UAE spokesperson called on “the international community to face these criminal acts with strength in order to eradicate terrorism in all its forms.”
“We support Turkey in these difficult times,” declared the spokesperson, according to the WAM press agency.
Bahrain Foreign Minister Mohammed ibn Mubarak Al-Khalifa declared his “profound indignation” at the attacks in Istanbul.
“Bahrain denounces these explosions and the terrorist attacks perpetrated (Thursday) as well as last week’s attacks in Istanbul (...) and presents its condolences to the families of victims of this cowardly act against all human principles,” declared the minister, according to the official BNA news agency.
At least 27 people were killed and over 450 wounded in Thursday’s two attacks against the British consulate and British bank, HSBC, in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
Anti-Israel Protest
Protesters in Bahrain set fire to US and Israeli flags yesterday in a 10,000-strong anti-Israeli demonstration.
“Death to Bush, Death to Sharon,” they chanted, referring to US President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The march passed peaceful through a wealthy suburb of the capital, Manama.
A US-backed peace “road map” envisaging establishment of a Palestinian state is all but dead after months of Israeli strikes against Palestinian targets in the West Bank and suicide bombings by Islamist militants in Israel.
Protesters, who see Israel as the unyielding guilty party in the stalemate, also set ablaze British flags to mark International Jerusalem Day, an Iranian-inspired event held each year on the last Friday of the holy fasting month of Ramadan to promote Palestinians’ claim to Jerusalem.
“We are angry with America, with Israel and even with Britain. Britain was the one that started the Palestinian problem,” said Ali, as he poured fuel on a British flag before setting it afire.
(With input from agencies)
