DATE=04/06/2002

TYPE=EDITORIAL

NUMBER=0-09807

TITLE=EDITORIAL: RUMSFELD ON AIDING TERRORISTS

INTERNET=YES

CONTENT=THIS EDITORIAL IS BEING RELEASED FOR USE BY ALL SERVICES. PLEASE NOTE CHANGE IN INTRODUCTION AND ENDING.

Anncr: Next, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld speaks out on the terrorist threat:

Voice: "Murderers are not martyrs. Targeting civilians is immoral, whatever the excuse. Terrorists have declared war on civilization, and states like Iran, Iraq, and Syria are inspiring and financing a culture of political murder and suicide bombing." These are the words of U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, referring to the suicide bombings against Israel,

"There is no question," said Mr. Rumsfeld, "but that Iran was involved with the Karine A [weapons] shipment [in January] headed for the Palestinian Authority. There is no question. . .but that al-Qaida [terrorists] have moved into Iran and out of Iran to the south and dispersed to some other countries."

In addition, said Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, "the people in Syria ought to know that their government is facilitating the flow of weapons and financing and terrorist activity down from Iran into Lebanon and into Israel."

Defense Secretary Rumsfeld said that Iraqi dictator "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 is "important for people to understand," said Mr. Rumsfeld, "because it gives you a sense of the problem. . .the complexity of it and 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."

Moreover, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld said, the governments of Iran, Syria, and Iraq "are not only trying to kill people outside their countries, but they are repressing their own people. They have an active program of denying the rights of the people in those three countries that is vicious, repressive, and, unfortunately, successful."

Defense Secretary Rumsfeld said the U.S. is "working to make it clear [to] sponsors and supporters of terrorists that being a friend to terrorists and by implication an adversary of the United States is not in their best interest."

Anncr: U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld spoke out about the terrorist threat last week. If you have a comment, please write to Editorials, V-O-A, Washington, D-C, 20237, U-S-A. You may also comment at www-dot-ibb-dot-gov-slash-editorials, or fax us at (202) 619-1043.