06/04/2002
EDITORIAL NUMBER=0-09925

IRAQ’S SPONSORSHIP OF TERRORISM

The United States lists seven countries that continue to sponsor terrorism. They are Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria, Sudan, North Korea, and Cuba.

Iraq is the only Arab-Muslim country that did not condemn the September 11^th terrorist attacks on the U.S. In a broadcast that day, the Iraqi government television station made the baseless comment that the U.S. was "reaping the fruits of [its] crimes against humanity." Later, a newspaper run by one of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s sons expressed sympathy for Osama bin Laden, whose al-Qaida terrorist group was responsible for the September 11^th attacks.

The U.S. State Department recently released its latest report on "Patterns of Global Terrorism." As the report points out, Iraq has long provided bases for terrorist groups. The Saddam Hussein regime is the primary supporter of the Mujahedin-e-Khalq, also known as the National Liberation Army of Iran. In addition to its attacks on Iranian government officials and interests, this group has a history of terrorism against Americans and other Westerners. Iraq also supports the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or P-K-K, which in the 1990s conducted terrorist attacks against Turkey and Turkish interests throughout Europe.

Anti-Israel terrorist groups supported by Iraq include the Palestine Liberation Front and the Abu Nidal Organization. Last year, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine stepped up its terrorist attacks on Israelis. Iraqi officials praised the group and met with its former leader, George Habash, in Baghdad.

Perhaps even more significant, Iraq is providing money to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers. As U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said, "Saddam Hussein is offering now twenty-five thousand dollars per family if they can persuade their youngsters to go out and kill themselves and kill innocent people." This, said Mr. Rumsfeld, "gives you a sense of. . .the viciousness of it -- and the kind of person. . .in Iraq that is willing to take twenty-five thousand dollars over and over again out of the mouths of people in that country. . .and instead of using it for food, using it to hire and encourage and promote and facilitate terrorists to kill innocent people."

As President George W. Bush said, "Those governments, like Iraq, that reward parents for the sacrifice of their children are guilty of soliciting murder of the worst kind." Everyone must choose, said President Bush, "you’re either with the civilized world, or you’re with the terrorists." Clearly, under Saddam Hussein, Iraq is with the terrorists.