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Posted on 10/08/2001 5:19:19 AM PDT by veronica

US-British attacks win allied support, Muslim opposition

By Thomas Wagner, The Associated Press

US allies around the world strongly supported the American-led attack on Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden's network. But the Muslim world was deeply divided, with some countries opposing the assault and others setting off protests by backing it.

As security was stepped up around US embassies in many countries, and Americans were urged to stay off the streets, anti-US protests were held across the Islamic world.

Many of the demonstrators denounced Sunday's missile attacks and air raids on Afghanistan and its hard-line Taliban leadership as an act of war against Arabs and Muslims.

In Pakistan, where some religious leaders have called for an Islamic holy war, separate anti-US protests by several thousand people touched off violence in the cities of Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar and the town of Landikotal today.

Police fired guns or tear gas at demonstrators who burned a movie theater, buses and tires. Several people were injured.

Many oppose their military government's support for the US-British military campaign against Afghanistan, Pakistan's neighbor.

"It is terrorism against terrorism, and that will solve nothing," said Amin Shinwari, one of the protesters in Peshawar.

Many oppose their military government's support for the US-British military campaign against Afghanistan, Pakistan's neighbor.

"It is terrorism against terrorism, and that will solve nothing," said Amin Shinwari, one of the protesters in Peshawar.

In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, 200 Islamic students rallied outside the US Embassy in Jakarta, the capital. No violence was reported, despite threats from some activists to attack US interests.

"Holy war! Holy war! America is the great Satan," chanted many in the crowd. "America is the real terrorist." The embassy was protected by rows of razor wire, a water cannon truck and hundreds of riot officers with batons and firearms.

In the Philippines, about 30 left-wing activists from the New Nationalist Alliance burned pictures of US President George W. Bush in a brief protest in front of the US Embassy.

One activist, dressed like Uncle Sam, burned a mock rocket symbolizing US aggression.

In Vietnam, guards armed with automatic rifles patrolled the grounds of the US Embassy after receiving a threat of an attack.

Similar anti-US protests were held in Egypt and Syria on Sunday.

The US State Department has issued a worldwide caution, warning of possible "strong anti-American sentiment and retaliatory actions against US citizens and interests."

Many allies of the United States and Britain praised their air strikes on military targets and bin Laden's training camps in Afghanistan. They came after the South Asian nation ignored US demands to hand over bin Laden, the Saudi exile who is the prime suspect in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that killed thousands of people in New York and Washington.

In addition to the European Union, the US supporters included China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Russia, Pakistan, India, the Philippines, Taiwan, Israel and Thailand. Singapore, another ally, called the attacks "a legitimate act of self-defense." France, Canada, Australia, Italy and Germany agreed to Bush's request to contribute forces. Others granted air transit or landing rights, or were providing intelligence to help with the US-led global war against terrorism, Bush said.

But in the Arab world, the reaction was much more complicated, ranging all the way from support, to no comment, to strong opposition.

Turkey, the only member of NATO with a predominantly Muslim population, gave a full endorsement, calling the United States its "friend."

Like other Gulf nations, Saudi Arabia, which supported US-led forces during the Gulf War, remained silent about the action in Afghanistan. Iran and Iraq voiced protest.

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein called the attack "an act of aggression that runs contrary to international law."

Iraqi TV broadcast a statement by Saddam saying: "Today, America has carried out an assault on ... the poorest among the peoples and countries of the world. We do not think that any of those who are true believers in God can but condemn this action."

In Iran, another neighbor of Afghanistan, the Foreign Ministry said the "vast US attacks" were "unacceptable," the Iranian news agency IRNA reported.

In Malaysia, a mostly Muslim country in Southeast Asia, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad criticized the strikes. "Our country does not agree," Mahathir told Parliament, "and we believe the attacks will not wipe out terrorism or kill the terrorists." He said, "Perhaps because of this act of war they will become more hardline and more people will join them."

He called for a world summit on terrorism and criticized Israel.

"If they wanted to take action, they should pick the right people," Mahathir said of the US-British forces. "I would support them if they wanted to take terrorist action against Israel, because Israel has shot dead many Palestinians. For us, those are the terrorists." To read more about Palestinian and Israeli Arab and reaction to the air campaign against Afghanistan, click here. China and India backed the US-led battle against terrorism, but they also urged the attacking forces to avoid hurting innocent civilians.

Australian leader John Howard called the attacks "retaliation against the people who, according to the canons of any of the world's great religions, cannot call themselves people of God."

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