16 April 2003
Abu Abbas Capture Provides Evidence of Iraqi Support of Terrorism
(State's Reeker calls April 15 meeting of free Iraqis "historic") (550) Washington -- The capture in Baghdad of the notorious terrorist Abu Abbas "provides further evidence of the Saddam Hussein regime's connection to international terrorism," says Philip Reeker, deputy State Department spokesman. At the daily State Department briefing April 16, Reeker said Abbas' capture represents "a major victory in the global war against terrorism." U.S. Special Operations Forces captured the Palestinian terrorist in southern Baghdad April 15. Abbas is best known for his role in the 1985 hijacking of the Achille Lauro cruise ship, which resulted in the murder of American Leon Klinghoffer. Abbas directed four fellow terrorists in the takeover of the Italian vessel carrying more than 400 passengers and crewmembers off the coast of Egypt. They demanded the release of 50 Palestinians held by Israel. "We are currently looking at a variety of options to ensure he's brought to justice," Reeker said of Abbas. Abbas faces a life sentence in Italy for the ship hijacking, and Reeker noted that the Italian government has issued a statement expressing its continued interest in this case. "The United States believes that all terrorists should be brought to justice for their crimes, so obviously, this will be a matter of discussion with the government of Italy," he said. Regarding the April 15 meeting of free Iraqis at the town of Ur, near Nasiriyah, Reeker called the event "historic." "[T]his was a very important first step for the people of Iraq, who were so recently liberated," the deputy spokesman said. Participants, he said, "represented every part of Iraq geographically, in terms of faith, religion, ethnicity. "They were liberated Iraqis who were members of the Iraqi opposition, representatives from Iraqi exile groups who had worked with us, many of them in the Future of Iraq Project. They came together to have this truly historic meeting, discuss the visions that they have for their own future and how best to chart a course toward a democratic, representative government." The group discussed "the importance of establishing rule of law in Iraq; respect for ethnic and religious diversity, which these groups represented; and certainly the need for a grass roots building of a civil society," Reeker said. "And they also discussed the role of women and the role of religion in civil society and underscored that the ruler should be chosen by the people themselves and not from outside," he said. Another meeting is to take place in 10 days in another Iraqi town yet to be decided, he said. According to Reeker, the meeting in Ur attracted "a very broad representation" of Iraqis "and we would expect that broad representation to continue as these meetings progress in other parts around the country." The goal of the Ur talks and the ones expected to follow, he said, is to allow the Iraqis to express themselves and establish an environment "where leaders can emerge." The process, he said, "reflects our expectation for the Iraqi interim authority and the eventual government of Iraq." And so the series of 'town hall meetings,' he said, will begin "moving towards a process ... on how to select this Iraqi interim authority." (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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