Skip to main content
CNN International EditionWorld
The Web    CNN.com     
Powered by
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ON TV
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mubarak warns of '100 bin Ladens'

Mubarak says the war calls into question the credibility of the U.N.
Mubarak says the war calls into question the credibility of the U.N.

Story Tools

SPECIAL REPORT
•  Commanders: U.S. | Iraq
•  Weapons: 3D Models

CAIRO, Egypt (Reuters) -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak says the U.S.-led war on Iraq would produce "one hundred new bin Ladens," driving more Muslims to anti-Western militancy.

"When it is over, if it is over, this war will have horrible consequences," Mubarak told Egyptian soldiers in the city of Suez on Monday.

"Instead of having one (Osama) bin Laden, we will have 100 bin Ladens," he said.

Osama bin Laden is the Saudi-born fugitive Islamic militant leader blamed by the United States for the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.

Egypt, a key regional U.S. ally which has cracked down hard on Islamic militants, publicly opposes the war launched by Washington to overthrow Iraq's President Saddam Hussein.

European opponents of the war, led by French President Jacques Chirac, have also argued that military action against Iraq would fuel terrorism and split the international coalition assembled by Washington to fight bin Laden's al Qaeda network.

Mubarak said Iraqi forces fighting U.S. and British troops were "guarding Iraq's lands and defending its national honour and nobility" in the conflict.

Reflecting widespread public anger at what many Arabs see as Western aggression against an Arab country, he said the war would cause a "great tragedy (and) destroy a deep-rooted culture and people."

'Double standard'

"Egypt's position has been and still is clear in rejecting .. .the military option and rejecting participation in military action of the coalition forces against brotherly Iraq," he said.

Mubarak said the war had raised many questions, especially among the Arab and Muslim peoples of the Middle East, about the "credibility of the international system of collective security represented in the United Nations."

Many Arabs think Washington has employed double standards in enforcing U.N. resolutions on Iraq while not making Israel comply with resolutions demanding withdrawal from Palestinian territories and an end to Jewish settlements. (Arab views)

Mubarak read out the highlights of an international plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace called the "roadmap," saying that while the Palestinian Authority had accepted it, the government of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had asked for 100 changes.

"This means the roadmap has been rendered meaningless. Unless the big powers agree and put forward a mechanism to implement it without any alterations ... I believe the roadmap will not move on the right road and it might lead to complications," he said.



Copyright 2003 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Story Tools
Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time! cover
Top Stories
Iran poll to go to run-off
Top Stories
EU 'crisis' after summit failure
 
 
 
 

CNN US
On CNN TV E-mail Services CNN Mobile CNN AvantGo CNNtext Ad info Preferences
SEARCH
   The Web    CNN.com     
Powered by
© 2005 Cable News Network LP, LLLP.
A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us.
external link
All external sites will open in a new browser.
CNN.com does not endorse external sites.
 Premium content icon Denotes premium content.