Lebanese Information Minister Ghazi Aridi denied there were “terrorist organizations” in the country, noting that Lebanon was not a target of American retaliation.
Speaking in an interview with Van radio station, the minister said there was no evidence implicating any Lebanese citizen in the terrorist attacks, which took place in New York and Washington on September 11, the Daily Star newspaper quoted him as saying.
The minister said Lebanese authorities had given all the information they had to the United States. US officials were also briefed on the Dinnieh clash investigation which was launched after the army clashed with Islamic extremists in January 2000.
“This shows that we wish to cooperate with the United States,” the minister asserted.
Similarly, Transport Minister Najib Mikati said in a statement Friday that “Lebanon has always been above suspicion. It is not involved in any terrorist activities and has always been a pioneer in uncovering terrorist networks.”
Aridi said the United States and the West had brought the attacks on themselves by providing “financial and political cover for terrorist organizations.”
He described the latest military mobilization as “mere flexing of muscles lacking any logic or clear definition of terrorism.”
He added that the United States “should not look abroad” for a solution to its problem with terrorism.
Aridi also cautioned against the war slogan the United States had chosen, “unlimited justice,” and said that it would result in “unlimited chaos, unlimited explosions, unlimited terrorism and unlimited violence.”
He called on America to absorb, “through political dialogue” with all the involved parties, the shock of what happened in New York and Washington. He also urged the United States to “understand that it cannot impose its policies on the rest of the world.” – Albawaba.com
