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July 9, 2004 |
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THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PRAISES THE INFLUENTIAL ROLE PLAYED BY THE SAUDI SECURITY þMEN AND ARMED FORCES IN CONFRONTING THE PHENOMENON OF TERRORISM. AL AL-SHEIKH WARNS PREACHERS THAT THEY SHARE THE SIN IF PEOPLE MISUNDERSTAND THEIR SERMONS. ISRAEL UNDERMINES AL-BARADEI EFFORTS AIMING AT FREEING IT FROM NUCLEAR WEAPONS. BLAIR: MUSLIMS AND OTHER RELIGIONS HAVE THE RIGHT TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN SCHOOLS. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz received at his office at Alsalam palace in Jeddah Bahrain's Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa Ibn Salman Al Khalifa and his accompanying delegation. At the outset of the meeting, King Fahd welcomed Sheikh Al Khalifa, wishing him good stay. The Bahraini premier thanked the monarch for his generous hospitality, wishing him constant health and happiness and the people of Saudi Arabia every progress and prosperity. On his part, the Bahraini senior official conveyed to King Fahd the greetings of King Hamad Ibn Isa Al Khalifa, the Monarch of the Kingdom of Bahrain. On his part, King Fahd sent his greetings to the king. During the meeting, they discussed the overall situations and current developments at the Gulf, Arab, Islamic and International arenas, particularly the Palestinian issue and the situation in Iraq. They also reviewed the aspects of cooperation between the two countries and ways of enhancing them in all fields. The meeting was attended on the Saudi side by Prince Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General; Prince Ahmed Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Minister of Interior; Prince Abdul Majeed Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Makkah Region; Prince Saud Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet and Chief of the Court of the Cabinet's Presidency, other princes, ministers, senior civil and military officials. On the Bahraini side, the meeting was attended by Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalid Al Khalifa, Deputy Premier who is also Minister of Islamic Affairs; Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Premier who is also Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sheikh Ali Ibn Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation; Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Governor of the Southern Province, senior protocol officials, ministers and governors. Bahrain's Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa Ibn Salman Al Khalifa arrived in Jeddah for a visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At King Abdul Aziz International Airport, he was received by Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard; Prince Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General; Prince Mit'eb Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Rural and Municipal Affairs; Prince Nawaf Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister; Prince Abdul Majeed Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Makkah Region; Prince Fahd Ibn Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Al Saud, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Civil Aviation Affairs; Prince Faisal Ibn Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Al Saud, Assistant Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Saud Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Mohammed Ibn Nawaf Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Saudi Ambassador to Italy; Prince Mishaal Ibn Majed Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor f Jeddah Province; Prince Mohammed Ibn Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minster of Interior for Security Affairs; Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court, ministers, senior civil and military officials, ministers, senior protocol officials, Bahrain's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Rashid Ibn Saad Al Dosari. Sheikh Khalifa was accompanied by a powerful delegation including Sheikh Abdullah Ibn Khalid Al Khalifa, Deputy Premier who is also Minister of Islamic Affairs; Sheikh Mohammed Ibn Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Premier who is also Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sheikh Ali Ibn Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation; Sheikh Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Al Khalifa, Governor of the Southern Province, senior protocol officials, ministers and governors. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, gave a luncheon party in honor of visiting Bahrain's Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa Ibn Salman Al Khalifa and accompanying delegation. The function was attended by Prince Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General; Prince Mit'eb Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Rural and Municipal Affairs; Prince Nawaf Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior; Prince Fawaz Ibn Abdul Aziz; Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister; Prince Abdul Majeed Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Makkah Region; other princes, ministers, senior civil and military officials. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, held talks at his palace in Jeddah with Bahrain's Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa Ibn Salman Al Khalifa who arrived in Jeddah earlier in the day for a visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At the outset of the meeting, Al Khalifa conveyed to Crown Prince Abdullah the greetings of King Hamad Ibn Isa Al Khalifa, king of the Kingdom of Bahrain. On his part, Crown Prince Abdullah sent his greetings to the king. During the meeting, they discussed the overall situations and current developments at the Gulf, Arab, Islamic and international arenas, particularly the Palestinian issue and the situation in Iraq in addition to the aspects of cooperation between the two countries and ways of enhancing them in all fields. The meeting was attended on the Saudi side by Prince Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General; Prince Mit'eb Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Rural and Municipal Affairs; Prince Nawaf Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior; Prince Fawaz Ibn Abdul Aziz; Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister; Prince Abdul Majeed Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Makkah Region; other princes, ministers, senior civil and military officials. On the Bahraini side, the meeting was attended by Sheikh Abdullah Ibn Khalid Al Khalifa, Deputy Premier who is also Minister of Islamic Affairs; Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Premier who is also Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sheikh Ali Ibn Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation; Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Governor of the Southern Bahrain's Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa Ibn Salman Al Khalifa left Saudi Arabia after a brief state visit to the Kingdom. At King Abdul Aziz International Airport, he was seen off by Prince Abdul Majeed Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Makkah Region; Khalid Ibn Mohammed Al-Gosaibi, the Minister of Economics and Planning, Mohammed bin Othman Nazer, Director General of the Royal Protocol Office in Jeddah, and a number of officials. On the other hand Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received a telephone call from President Vladimir Putin of Russia.þ þ The talks covered bilateral relations.þ Putin highlighted "the influential role being played by the Saudi security þmen and armed forces in confronting the phenomenon of terrorism, and þ þreiterated the readiness of Russia to cooperate with the Kingdom of Saudi þArabia in this respect," reported the Saudi Press Agency Meanwhile the minister in charge of Imams and Khateebs (Preachers) of mosques advised them to pay more attention to their sermons, keep them brief and in line with the Shariah and not whip up religious fervor. We do not want mosques to be a means for creating zeal and false enthusiasm without a basis in the Shariah, Sheikh Saleh Bin Abdul Aziz Al Al-Sheikh, Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance told the Imams and Khateebs during a meeting in Jeddah last Tuesday. Al Al-Sheikh warned them that they share the sin if people misunderstand their sermons and are instigated to mistakenly take the course of Jihad. Answering a question by a Khateeb, Al Al-Sheikh said that some Khateebs deliver fiery sermons on Jihad, which are not understood well enough by the people, especially the youth. Such Khateebs may think they are right and so create fervor among the people, not quite realizing that their sermon's message may be incomplete or misunderstood. It is then likely that these people who are whipped up would go astray and end up in the hands of the ignorant who could convert them to their own ideology or belief to serve their own ends, the minister warned. Prayer leaders should not assume the role of an absolute power, the minister advised. The Khateeb must know the Fiqh (jurisprudence) of crises, the Fiqh of power and the Fiqh of weakness. He must speak only on what he knows, Al Al-Sheikh said. The minister advised the Khateeb to try to be effective for the benefit and protection of the people and the religion, by providing them with all the details of the religion and aiming to safeguard the unity of the ranks through preventing division. They should encourage the spirit of patriotism and defend the nation, he said. Amn (security) is derived from Iman (belief), he told them. Al Al-Sheikh demanded that sermons be based on the authentic rules of the Shariah, the higher interests according to the Shariah, and the higher interests of the Ummah. Protecting the public interest for the Ummah necessitates safeguarding the religion, unity and comprehensive security in which all the citizens have a share because they are part of the nation, he said. Comprehensive security is the responsibility of every citizen and it is a duty according to the Shariah, he stressed. The role of the Khateeb is to warn the people and the youth and to advise them. He should cooperate with the community of the mosque to ward off evil, and this he should do not only once or twice but repeatedly, Al Al-Sheikh said, reiterating that they should not always wait for the ministry to remind them of it. The minister also said that some Khateebs address the states and the enemies but not the people and this, according to the Shariah, is not permissible. Those who say that the sermon is for the minds and not for the hearts are mistaken, he said. Answering another question, he said that being loyal to the faithful and shunning the infidels are among the requirements of the well-established belief, but they are also among the most difficult and controversial subjects, so must be avoided. þOn the other hand Iraq's Justice Minister, Malik Dohan Al-Hassan þ þofficially announced the launching of new National Safety Law.þ þ This came in a press conference, which was attended by Human Rights Minister Bakhtiar Amin, the advisors of the defense and interior ministers and þthe military advisor of the prime minister. Minister of Justice Malik Dohan said the National Safety law grants Prime Minister Ayad Allawi permission to seek þassistance from multinational forces where there is need. He added the þmultinational forces would only be asked to assist in situations where there þ þis conflict with armed groups stronger than the government's own resources.þ þ With the law in place, Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi would be þ þaccountable before the legal and judicial systems and he would be held þaccountable for decisions thought to contradict the law, Dohan stressed. As to the state of emergency, the longest period for such state is 60 days, the minister added at a joint news conference with Minister of Human Rights Bakhtiar Amin.þ The new law that was announced by the two ministers gives Allawi authority þto declare state of emergency, impose curfew, and right to take fast decisions þand military measures with consultation with the ministers of interior and þdefense and with the national security advisor.þ þ The law also allows the government to ask assistance from multinational þforces when there are widespread confrontations between Iraqi police and civil þdefense on the one hand and hostile militant groups on the other. The Prime Minister is also authorized to declare a state of þemergency in the entire state, but only after getting the approval of the þPresidency council that includes, apart from Allawi himself, President Ghazi þEl-Yawer and his two deputies Ibrahim Al-Jafari and Rowsch Shawaysþ Amin said that the National General Assembly that would be formed at the þNational Conference to be held in July would have license to review the þarticles of the law. Minister of Human Rights also has powers to investigate þinto violations of human rights upon implementation.þ þ According to article nine of the law, the National General Assembly has þ authority to oversee implementation of the law, Amin said. The Federal Court þ and Kurdistan's two Supreme Courts also have right to consider the law, supervise implementation and call decisions taken virtue of the law null. þ þ Implementation in Kurdistan would be preceded by talks with the local þgovernment, he pointed out. þ Meanwhile þ Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, þ þheaded to Tunisia on a three-day official visit during which he will þ þmeet with Tunisian President Zine el Abidine bin Ali and his foreign minister þto discuss recent developments in the Middle East, especially with regard toIraq and Palestine.þ þþ Speaking to reporters prior to his departure from Cairo, Moussa said that he will discuss in Tunisia the implementation of the decisions of the Arab þ Summit, in light of the charter amendment committees commencing their work at þthe League headquarters to this effect.þ þþ Moussa added that he will head to The Hague on Friday to attend the þInternational Court of Justice session on Israel's decision on building the Separation Wall on Palestinian territories.þ þþ He affirmed that his participation in the court session and deliberations þwith Arab delegations attending reflects the attention the League attaches to the court's opinion on the matter.þ þþ Moussa clarified that the court decision is expected to determine future þArab action in the international community and the UN Security Council to face þIsrael's refusal to halt the erection of the wall.þ þþ He went on to say that Israel's defiance of international orders is þ þexpected in light of continued refusal of international conventions, þ þdescribing this defiance as "a dangerous matter and a violation of þ þinternational laws and the Geneva conventions."þ þþ The Secretary General stressed that the separation wall is racist and þ þviolates the principles of justice and peace in the Middle East, as well as þwith the Road Map, saying that the wall negatively affects the possibilities of reaching a peaceful settlement in the region. þ On the other hand the Chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency þIAEA) Mohammad El-Baradei left Cairo for Israel, which is "the only state that has nuclear facilities out of the IAEA guarantees system."þ þþ In remarks prior to departure from Cairo, he said the talks aim at bringing closer the points of view of Israel and other Middle Eastern states on nuclear þweapons.þ þþ While Israel views this as a matter of national security that must be þ þincluded in the peace formula, Arab states believe IAEA guarantees and peaceful nuclear power use must preceded peace efforts as a step and proof of þ good will, the official noted.þ þþ El-Baradei stressed it is vital to create balance between the two paths if the peace process is to continue. Middle East peace does not only involve þissues on nuclear weapons but also other weapons of mass destruction and even þconventional modern weapons systems, he said.þ þþ This issue was only brought up two years ago through the Madrid nuclear þdisarmament and non-proliferation committee and was not discussed since, he þpointed out.þ þþ The objective of the Israel visit is to discuss feasibility of a strategic þ þdialogue on regional peace, El-Baradei said adding deliberation and þ þconsultation among neighboring regional states is essential.þ þþ El-Baradei preceded his Israel visit with tours that covered Washington, þMoscow and the Middle East and discusses importance of ridding the Middle East of all WMD. þ The visit to Israel by Dr. Mohamed El Baradei, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is considered of great importance due to the emphasis that the Middle East þ þbecomes free of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), including nuclear.þ þþ Although officials at the agency see the visit as a regular one, the þ þdevelopments in the Middle East and North Africa gives it importance following the war on Iraq, the destruction of its WMD, Libya's dismantling of its þnuclear program and Iran's signing of the additonal protocol.þ þþ This visit comes two months before the annual IAEA conference in Vienna due to discuss key issues, mainly the dangers of the Israeli nuclear capabilities and the application of the safeguards system in the Middle East.þ þþ Baradei recently paid visits to Washington, Moscow and a number of Middle Eastern states and discussed the necessity of turning the Middle East into a þ zone free of all WMDs and to suspend the double standards especially after the pressures practiced on Iran, Libya and Iraq to dismantle their destructive þweapons, while turning a blind eye on Israel's nuclear arsenal.þ þþ The director general recently met with a number of Arab ambassadors in Vienna to discuss means to end the arms race in the Middle East as soon as þpossible as this hinders the efforts exerted to achieve peace. þ þþ þHe informed reporters last month in Moscow that the talks he is to hold þwith Israeli officials will focus on urging Israel to hold serious þ þnegotiations over turning the region into an zone free of nuclear weapons.þ þþ He suggested that starting such a dialogue over security should coincide with the efforts to achieve peace due to Israel's persistence to sign a peace þagreement with its Arab neighbors as a condition to launch negotiations on armament.þ þþ Diplomats here expect that Israel will not give up its "strategic þ þambiguity" policy which it has been applying since its establishment while they believe that the current conditions force Israel to join the agreement banning the spread of nuclear arms and also mainly embarrasses the US which practiced major political pressures on Iran and Libya due to the WMD, disregarding the dangers of the destructive weapons owned by Israel. þ Israel has no intention of acknowledging that it has nuclear weapons, or of opening its reactors to international inspection. But the visit of the International Atomic Energy Agency chief comes as Israel is increasingly sensitive to pressure for it to be subject to the same standards of international accountability demanded of other countries in the Middle East. þ The release from prison of the nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu sharpened the focus on Israel's arsenal. þ For several months now Dr El-Baradei has publicly prodded the Israelis toward discussions on a nuclear weapons-free Middle East. þ "I believe in the importance of holding a dialogue on the subject and I don't see a reason why Israel isn't ready to at least start the discussion," he told the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz in December. þ "My fear is that without such a dialogue there will continue to be incentives for the countries of the region to develop weapons of mass destruction to match the Israeli arsenal." þ Israel maintains a policy of what it calls "nuclear ambiguity". It argues that neither confirming nor denying it has such weapons helps deter its enemies. The US Central Intelligence Agency estimates that Israel has between 200 and 400 nuclear warheads, making it the world's fifth largest nuclear power. þ Israel's refusal to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty has prompted 13 votes by the UN general assembly since 1987 calling on it do so. The US has blocked any move to take the issue to the security council. þ Pressure on Israel to declare that it has the weapons and agree to international oversight has increased with the fall of Saddam Hussein, Libya's declared intention to rid itself of weapons of mass destruction, and Iran's agreement to let UN inspectors conduct surprise inspections of its nuclear facilities. þ Iran has said Israel should also be pressed over the issue. þ Israeli officials have acknowledged the growing international sentiment by arguing that weapons of mass destruction are not necessarily a threat if they are in the hands of democratic and responsible governments. þ But Dr El-Baradei has questioned the assumption that nuclear weapons have made Israel more secure. þ Gerald Steinberg, of the Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs, said there was little chance of a change in Israel's policy. "The topic is not on the agenda," he said. þ Israel's atomic energy commission this week lifted the veil of secrecy around the country's two reactors at Dimona and Nahal Sorek by launching a website with pictures of the facilities. But there are few details. þ Dr El-Baradei has suggested that the Israelis should at least consider loosening their "nuclear ambiguity" policy. þ But Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has shown no sign Israel is prepared to budge. Sharon was quoted ahead of El-Baradei's visit as saying, "I don't know what he is coming to see -- our nuclear policy has proven itself and will continue." þ On the other hand and following his meeting with the Quartet last Wednesday, the Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei asked the US to "protect" the plan for the establishment of the Palestinian state, and to stop Israeli settlement and the Apartheid wall. þ His statements came after two separate meetings with the Quartet and an American delegation headed by David Sutterfield at the Council of Ministers premises in the West Bank city of Ramallah. þ "We want the United States to throw in its weight, to stop the settlement and the wall, protect the plan for the establishment of a viable Palestinian state alongside Israel, which it said it would do, and not to wait until the borders of this state are demarcated as the Israeli government wants them to be, within the context of the settlements and the wall," he told reporters. þ He said that he told the Quartet that "there will be no peace at all as long as this wall exists; it must collapse like the Berlin wall. It has nothing to do with security. It is built to grab land." þ Qurei also said that the Palestinians would use an upcoming world court verdict as a lever to increase international opposition to Israel's West Bank Wall. þ The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague is expected to announce its non-binding advisory ruling on the Wall on Friday upon a request from the UN General Assembly. þ "We told them that we are awaiting the verdict of the court in The Hague ... which we hope will be a just decision. We will then go to the United Nations and the whole world. We will not stay silent about the wall." þ Moreover, Qurei said the talks also reviewed the Israeli violations and assassinations on the ground. þ Referring to the killing of Al-Najah University professor Khaled Salah by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in the northern West Bank city of Nablus, he said, "Doesn't his killing deserve a special US condemnation, as he was a US national, and was killed together with his son at their home?" þ US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Satterfield, UN Special Coordinator Terje Roed-Larsen, European Union Special Representative Marc Otte and Ambassador Alexander Kalugin of Russia met in Ramallah last Wednesday with Palestinian Prime Minister Qurei and other senior PNA officials. þ The meeting reviewed the PNA's preparations for a meeting in September of the Quartet's Ad Hoc Liaison Committee. þ "The envoys also reviewed with the Prime Minister their discussion of the humanitarian situation and developmental needs in the West Bank and Gaza, as well as their preparations for a meeting in September of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee to assess PA progress on reforms," a joint statement released by the Quartet said. þ They also expressed "strong support" for the European role. þ "In this context the envoys expressed their deep appreciation and strong support for the Egyptian role in working with the parties. The Quartet stands ready to further those efforts and urges the Palestinian Authority to do its part by moving decisively to fulfill its security commitments," the statement added. þ The envoys said the Quartet will help in Palestinian elections. þ "The Quartet envoys discussed the plans of the Palestinian Authority for organizing and holding municipal elections, and confirmed their readiness to assist with this process as appropriate." þ The Quartet urged the PNA to "dedicate itself without reservation" to reforms. þ "The Quartet remains committed to working with a responsible and accountable Palestinian Authority in pursuit of internal reform and a just, lasting solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The Quartet's effectiveness in so doing depends to a significant extent on the willingness of the Palestinian side to dedicate itself without reservation to the tasks at hand and the decisions necessary to achieve our common goals." þ Following Qurei's meeting with the US delegation, Palestinian officials said Satterfield emphasized that the United States continues to support President Bush's vision of a Palestinian state living peacefully alongside Israel, as set out in the "roadmap." þ On another scale the British Prime Minister Tony Blair took his biggest step yet away from pre-war claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, admitting that the search for banned arms might be futile. þ Appearing before the liaison committee of the House of Commons, the Prime Minister backed away from the assertions he made last year that the Iraq Survey Group would eventually prove Saddam Hussein was stockpiling WMDs at the time of the US-led invasion in March 2003. þ "I was very confident when I spoke to you this time last year that the Iraq Survey Group would find them, Mr Blair said. "I have to accept that we have not found them - that we may not find them." þ Mr Blair insisted that the failure to find WMDs did not mean there had been no military threat from Iraq. Instead, he said, Saddam might have hidden, dispersed or destroyed his weapons before the war began. þ "Whether they were hidden, removed or destroyed, Saddam was in clear breach of UN resolutions," he said. þ "I genuinely believe that those weapons were there and that is why the international community came together as they did." þ The Prime Minister made a strong defence of that alliance, insisting Britain's status as the No 1 ally of the United States was in the national interest. "I believe it is in our interests to have this strong relationship with the United States of America," he said. "I think most countries round the world would give their eye teeth to have that relationship." þ Mr Blair said that he would not let European animosity to the Bush administration weaken his support for the US, saying that to do so would be to see Britain's "interests subordinated to the interests of other countries". þ Mr Blair was challenged by MPs of all parties to demonstrate what tangible benefits Britain gets from the US relationship. Although he said he refused to discuss the bond in "quid pro quo" terms, he did suggest that he'd been able to win concessions on the four Britons still held by the US at Guantلnamo Bay in Cuba. þ The Prime Minister said that he had raised the issue of the return of the four with Mr Bush "a few weeks ago" and the president had been open to their repatriation. þ Instead of US objections, he said that the delay in returning the four men had been caused by the need to ensure that the British authorities had the arrangements and equipment required to hold the men securely. þ "I am not yet satisfied that we have the necessary machinery in place, but we are taking steps," Mr Blair said. "I just have to be careful with the security of this country." þ Five other British detainees were released by the US earlier this year, and have not been charged by the UK authorities, despite American assertions that they were "illegal combatants" and suspected terrorists. þ Mr Blair argued for greater sensitivity when dealing with suspected terrorists who claim loyalty to Islam, in order to avoid alienating British Muslims. þ "I know from my conversations with leaders of the Muslim community that they feel very strongly that if someone who calls themselves a Protestant goes on to the streets of Northern Ireland and murders a Catholic that doesn't reflect on the whole of the Protestant religion," Mr Blair said. þ "Whereas they feel if you get Muslim extremists and terrorists then somehow this can be taken as stigmatising the entire community. I think we need to be sensitive to that." þ The Prime Minister said that concerns about terrorism since the September 11 attacks in 2001 had added a "new dimension" to race relations.þ "I think that issue to do with terrorism, and we heard all the controversy over the stop and search and so on, has put a new dimension into the equation which I think is difficult," he said.þ þþ The Prime Minister warned against allowing "unnecessary tension" to develop between ethnic communities which could be exploited by parties like the far-right British National Party (BNP).þ þþ "Sometimes there is an unnecessary tension that enters into local þ þrelations. Obviously this is what has happened in certain parts of the North West (of England) particularly, but not limited to the North West," he said.þ þþ "Those are areas particularly where political parties like the BNP can come in and exploit those tensions," the Prime Minister concluded.þ þþ There are around three million Muslims living in the UK, mainly from the Indian sub-continent The Prime Minister went on to sayI think we need to be sensitive to that and we need to give publicity to the fact that the vast majority of Muslim leaders are immensely responsible people who exercise a very positive effect within the local communities and for community harmony. þ Mr Blair said I do not think it is justifiable that, say, there should be Catholic and Protestant faith based schools but not Jewish or Muslim ones. þ |
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