DATE=8/11/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-41121
TITLE=TERRORISM / MIDEAST ANALYSIS
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE BOMB ATTACKS AT U-S EMBASSIES IN KENYA AND TANZANIA
BROUGHT INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION FOR THE LOSS OF INNOCENT LIFE.
THEY ALSO BROUGHT PLEDGES BY THE GOVERNMENTS AFFECTED TO BRING TO
JUSTICE THOSE RESPONSIBLE AND CONSIDERABLE SPECULATION ABOUT WHO
WOULD DO SUCH A THING AND FOR WHAT REASONS. MIDDLE EAST
CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB TALKED WITH EXPERTS ON TERRORISM AND HAS
THIS REPORT ON THEIR VIEWS ABOUT THE SUBJECT.
TEXT: ANALYSTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST JOINED IN CONDEMNING THE BOMB
ATTACKS IN KENYA AND TANZANIA, SAYING FOR MOST PEOPLE IN THE
REGION, THE ACTS WERE ABHORRENT AND INHUMANE.
BUT, THEY ALSO NOTE THERE IS A HIGH DEGREE OF FRUSTRATION OVER
WHAT ARE PERCEIVED TO BE INJUSTICES ON THE PART OF THE WORLD
COMMUNITY AND IN PARTICULAR UNITED STATES. THEY SAY FRUSTRATION
OVER THE APPARENT INABILITY OF THEIR LEADERS TO RIGHT THE
SITUATION ENCOURAGES ACTS OF VIOLENCE.
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CAIRO'S AL-AHRAM CENTER FOR POLITICAL AND
STRATEGIC STUDIES, MOHAMED SAYED SA'ID, SPOKE TO V-O-A ABOUT
POSSIBLE REASONS BEHIND THE ATTACKS IN KENYA AND TANZANIA.
/// FIRST SAYED ACTUALITY ///
IN THE FIRST PLACE, THIS IS A DECLARATION OF PRESENCE,
THAT THEY ARE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. SECONDLY, THE
SECOND MESSAGE IS THAT THEY HAVE A GLOBAL REACH, THEY
ARE NOT A MEAGER OR SMALL-SIZED ORGANIZATION.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
MANY EXPERTS BELIEVE THE INCIDENTS ARE RELATED TO ISSUES IN THE
MIDDLE EAST. THEY NOTE SEVERAL TERRORIST GROUPS HAVE TARGETED
U-S INTERESTS IN ORDER TO PROTEST U-S POLICIES IN THE REGION.
PROFESSOR SAYED SAYS A NUMBER OF THESE GROUPS MET EARLIER THIS
YEAR IN CENTRAL ASIA AND AGREED TO FORM A UNITED FRONT.
/// OPT /// HE SAYS SOME OF THESE GROUPS STRONGLY OBJECT TO THE
U-S MILITARY PRESENCE IN THE ARAB WORLD AND IN PARTICULAR IN
SAUDI ARABIA, WHICH IS HOME TO THE TWO HOLIEST SHRINES IN ISLAM.
/// OPT /// OTHER GROUPS OBJECT TO A RECENT INTERNATIONAL
EXTRADITION AGREEMENT THAT HAS SEEN MANY DISSIDENTS RETURNED HOME
FOR TRIAL AND PRISON. SOME OF THESE DISSIDENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN
CONVICTED OF TERRORISM, BUT OTHERS HAVE NOT BEEN TRIED, CAUSING
PROTESTS FROM HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS.
/// OPT /// MANY OF THESE GROUPS CRITICIZE THE LACK OF PROGRESS
TOWARD PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY SYMPATHIZE WITH THE
PALESTINIAN CAUSE. THEY BLAME THE STALEMATE ON ISRAEL AND WHAT
THEY SEE AS U-S POLICIES THAT FAVOR ISRAELI POSITIONS OVER
PALESTINIAN ONES. /// END OPT ///
A RESEARCHER AT THE AL-AHRAM CENTER, HALLA MOUSTAFA, SAYS BECAUSE
OF U-S POLICIES, ISLAMISTS ARE GAINING SUPPORT IN THE REGION,
FOLLOWING SEVERAL YEARS OF SETBACKS.
/// HALLA ACTUALITY ///
THE U-S ADMINISTRATION, MAYBE IT HAS TO TAKE INTO
CONSIDERATION THIS ANIMOSITY WHICH WAS GROWING AMONG THE
ARAB PEOPLES AGAINST THE U.S. POLICY TOWARD THE PEACE
PROCESS.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
PROFESSOR HALLA SAYS THE U-S GOVERNMENT IS PERCEIVED AS FAVORING
ISRAEL IN THE PEACE PROCESS AND THIS PERCEPTION IS REDUCING ITS
DIPLOMATIC EFFECTIVENESS IN THE REGION. U-S OFFICIALS DISPUTE
THIS ASSERTION AND SAY THEY ARE EQUALLY FRUSTRATED WITH THE LACK
OF PROGRESS IN THE PEACE PROCESS, BUT SAY PRIVATELY THEY FEAR THE
STALEMATE MAY CONTINUE UNTIL THERE IS A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT IN
ISRAEL. ARAB LEADERS SAY THEY FEAR A RESURGENCE OF VIOLENCE IN
THE REGION IF THE CRISIS IS NOT DEFUSED.
/// REST OPT ///
PROFESSOR SAYED NOTES, DESPITE THE FRUSTRATION MOST PEOPLE IN THE
MIDDLE EAST REJECT TERRORISM BECAUSE VIOLENCE GOES AGAINST THEIR
RELIGION AND HURTS THEIR POLITICAL CAUSES.
/// 2ND SAYED ACTUALITY ///
I THINK EVENTS OF THIS NATURE ARE UNIVERSALLY CONDEMNED
IN THE ARAB AND ISLAMIC WORLD BECAUSE THEY CONTINUE TO
POLLUTE THE IMAGE OF ISLAM AND THEY ARE INTENDED TO
REVERSE THE RISING SYMPATHY WITHIN THE UNITED STATES,
WITH THE PLIGHT OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, AND THE NEED
TO DO JUSTICE TO THE PALESTINIANS.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
SOME ANALYSTS IN THE REGION SUGGEST THE CAMPAIGN OF TERRORISM MAY
BE COMING FROM GROUPS THAT DO NOT WISH TO SEE PEACE IN THE
MIDDLE EAST.
MANY DISAGREE. BUT VIRTUALLY ALL ACKNOWLEDGE VIOLENCE LIKE THE
BOMBINGS IN KENYA AND TANZANIA DISRUPTS NORMAL LIFE, FOR A PERIOD
OF TIME, AND DIVERTS THE ATTENTION OF WORLD LEADERS FROM
COOPERATION ON THE JOINT PURSUIT OF LONG-TERM STRATEGIC GOALS.
THEY SAY THAT MAY WELL SERVE THE INTERESTS OF THOSE FOR WHOM
THESE LONG-TERM GOALS REPRESENT A THREAT. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/RAE
11-Aug-98 12:09 PM EDT (1609 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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