Statements on the attacks
Palestinian groups deny responsibility
By John Catalinotto
While the ruling-class media has been quick to blame
specific nationalities and religions for the attacks on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon, it has done little to
publicize the statements of organizations under suspicion.
Four Palestinian groups--Hamas, the Democratic Front for the
Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), the Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Islamic Jihad--deny
responsibility for the attacks. .
"Naturally the United States position regarding our conflict
with Israel is totally biased in favor of Israel, but we have
nothing to do with these aircraft attacks in the U.S. because
our military battle is against the Zionist enemy,'' Maher
al-Taher, a PFLP politburo member, said.
"We, as nationalist Palestinian forces, are launching our
struggle on our land against the Zionist aggression."
There had been an Aug. 29 report that the PFLP was planning
attacks against the U.S. following the killing of the PFLP
leader Abu Ali Mustafa in an Israeli missile attack on his
office in the West Bank. Taher denied these reports.
The media gave wide publicity to an anonymous caller who
informed Abu Dhabi television the DFLP was behind the attack.
But Ali Badwan, a member of the central committee of the DFLP,
told Reuters his group opposed attacks on civilians.
"Our policy calls for focusing the Palestinian efforts
against the Israeli occupation forces and the armed Zionist
settlers," he said.
"We are not concerned with any actions outside the
Palestinian territories. Our legitimate struggle is directed
against the Israeli enemy and the settler cliques," he
said.
Yasser Arafat, the head of the Palestinian Authority, also
criticized the attacks and expressed his sympathy with the U.S.
population.
"We are completely shocked. It's unbelievable," Arafat said.
"We completely condemn this very dangerous attack, and I convey
my condolences to the American people, to the American
president and to the American administration, not only in my
name but on behalf of the Palestinian people."
Cuba offers aid
In a Sept. 11 statement, the Cuban government went so far as
to offer assistance:
"The Government of the Republic of Cuba has received with
grief and sadness the news of violent surprise attacks which
took place, this morning, at civilian and official facilities
in New York City and Washington DC, and which have caused many
casualties.
"The position of Cuba against all kind of terrorist actions
is well known. We cannot forget that for over 40 years our
people has been victim of such actions, promoted from the
territory of the United States itself. Due to historical
reasons, as well as ethical principles, the Government of our
country fully rejects and condemns the attacks committed
against the above-mentioned facilities, and expresses its
sincerest condolences to the American people for the
distressing and unjustifiable loss of human lives caused by
such acts.
"In this bitter hour, our people is in solidarity with the
American people, and expresses its absolute willingness to
cooperate, to the extent of its modest resources, with American
health and humanitarian institutions in taking care of, and
rehabilitating the victims of today's events."
The South African Communist Party, the Portuguese Communist
Party, the Belgian Workers Party, the Philippine organization
Bayan, the Calcutta-based All India Anti-imperialist Forum,
Sinn Fein and many other liberation or communist groups
expressed condolences with the U.S. population. Many of these
groups also warned of the dangers that the Bush administration
would either embark on new aggression against sovereign
countries or would eliminate protest rights within the U.S., or
both.
This article is copyright under a Creative
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