DATE= 02/14/99
TYPE= EDITORIAL
NUMBER= 0-08190
TITLE= EDITORIAL: ABU NIDAL IN IRAQ
CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST
02/14/99.
ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE
VARIETY OF ISSUES. NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
VOICE:
ACCORDING TO RECENT PRESS REPORTS, THE NOTORIOUS ABU NIDAL IS
ONCE AGAIN ENJOYING THE HOSPITALITY OF IRAQI DICTATOR SADDAM
HUSSEIN. IF THESE REPORTS ARE TRUE, IT MEANS THAT ABU NIDAL IS
NOW BACK IN THE COUNTRY THAT HELPED GET HIM STARTED AS AN
INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST.
ABU NIDAL, WHOSE REAL NAME IS BELIEVED TO BE SABRI AL-BANNA,
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TERRORIST ATTACKS IN TWENTY COUNTRIES THAT
HAVE KILLED OR WOUNDED NEARLY NINE-HUNDRED MEN, WOMEN, AND
CHILDREN. THESE INCLUDE GRENADE AND MACHINE GUN ATTACKS ON THE
ROME AND VIENNA AIRPORTS IN 1985; THE MURDER OF TWENTY-TWO
WORSHIPPERS AT THE NEVE SHALOM SYNAGOGUE IN ISTANBUL AND THE
HIJACKING OF PAN AMERICAN FLIGHT 73 IN KARACHI IN 1986; AND THE
CITY OF POROS EXCURSION SHIP ATTACK IN GREECE IN 1988.
IN 1994, THE ABU NIDAL ORGANIZATION ASSASSINATED A JORDANIAN
DIPLOMAT IN LEBANON. IT HAS ALSO BEEN LINKED TO THE KILLING OF
THE P-L-O REPRESENTATIVE THERE. THIS IS MORE THAN A LITTLE
IRONIC SINCE ABU NIDAL WAS THE P-L-O REPRESENTATIVE IN BAGHDAD IN
THE EARLY 1970S. IN 1974, HE BROKE WITH THE P-L-O TO SET UP HIS
OWN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. THAT SAME YEAR, THE P-L-O SENTENCED
HIM TO DEATH IN ABSENTIA.
AFTER THAT, ABU NIDAL RECEIVED EXTENSIVE HELP FROM IRAQI
DICTATOR SADDAM HUSSEIN IN THE FORM OF TRAINING, WEAPONS, AND
INTELLIENCE SUPPORT. IN NOVEMBER 1983, SADDAM'S PATRONAGE ENDED
WHEN THE IRAQIS DISCOVERED THAT ABU NIDAL WAS WORKING WITH SYRIAN
INTELLIGENCE.
RELOCATING IN SYRIA, ABU NIDAL CARRIED OUT TERRORIST ATTACKS
ON ARABS AND JEWS. IN 1986, HE PROVIDED SYRIAN AIR FORCE
INTELLIGENCE WITH THE SUITCASE BOMB USED IN AN UNSUCCESSFUL
ATTEMPT TO BLOW UP AN EL AL AIRLINER IN LONDON. A YEAR LATER, HE
MOVED HIS HEADQUARTERS TO LIBYA. THERE, HIS TERRORIST
ORGANIZATION FELL INTO A SERIES OF BLOODY INTERNAL FEUDS WHICH
LEFT HUNDREDS DEAD.
IF ABU NIDAL IS NOW BACK IN IRAQ, IT WOULD HARDLY BE A
SURPRISE. IRAQ ALREADY PROVIDES SAFEHAVEN TO A VARIETY OF
TERRORISTS, INCLUDING THE ARAB LIBERATION FRONT, THE MUJAHEDIN-E
KHALQ, AND ABU IBRAHIM, FORMER HEAD OF THE NOW DEFUNCT 15 MAY
ORGANIZATION.
BUT WHEREVER HE IS, ABU NIDAL AND HIS SPONSORS SHOULD KNOW
THAT THE U.S. WILL HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY TERRORIST ACTS
COMMITTED AGAINST AMERICANS.
ANNCR:
THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT. IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS,
V-O-A, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. YOU MAY ALSO COMMENT AT
WWW-DOT-VOA-DOT-GOV-SLASH-EDITORIALS, OR FAX US AT (202)
619-1043.
12-Feb-99 10:07 AM EST (1507 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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