Iraqis volunteer for suicide missions
Baghdad - Baghdad's ruling Baath
party has called for anti-American
actions in the Arab world with a newspaper reporting that 20 Iraqis
have volunteered for suicide missions against Israel.
The daily Babel printed a list of 20 names of volunteers "to carry out
suicide attacks against the Zionist entity in the occupied Palestinian
territories".
President Saddam Hussein's eldest son Uday, who runs Babel, himself
volunteered to fight in a holy war against Israel after the cabinet
called a week ago for volunteers. Another million people also came
forward, officials said.
In a communique published by the press, the Baath party urged "Arab
militants to tighten the noose around American interests" in Arab
countries in riposte to Washington's stance on the Palestinians and
Israel.
"Every American representing the government and official bodies in the
Arab world must be considered an enemy of the (Arab) nation, and it is
on this basis that we must act," the communique said.
The party condemned the United States and Zionism and said any Arab
leader who did not strive for the "liberation of Palestine" was a
"traitor".
It also urged Arabs living in the Gulf, where numerous demonstrations
have taken place in solidarity with the Palestinians, to "expel the
American army and navy" form the region.
"It is only through one or several serious actions that those who
occupy your land and sea will leave defeated," said the communique.
Iraq, which strongly opposed the Middle East peace process, has
repeatedly called for a holy war or jihad to liberate Palestine since
clashes erupted between Israel and the Palestinians on 28 September.
- Sapa-AFP