Cablegate: Media Reaction Terror Attacks in the U. S.;

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

200929Z Sep 01

UNCLASSIFIED PTO0536

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ACTION INR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00
DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 LAB-01 VCE-00
DCP-01 NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /004W
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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9763
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 002769

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P,
INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION TERROR ATTACKS IN THE U. S.;
HARARE

1. THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" DEDICATED
ITS SEPTEMBER 20 EDITORIAL TO THE SEPTEMBER 11
TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE UNITED STATES. UNDER
HEADLINE "TARGETING ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE CAN BE
DANGEROUS," THE PAPER COMMENTS:

2. "PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH ACTED QUICKLY TO DOUSE
THE
FLAMES OF ANTI-ISLAMIC HATRED IN THE AFTERMATH OF
THE 11 SEPTEMBER MASSACRES IN NEW YORK AND
WASHINGTON. INADVERTENTLY, BOTH BUSH AND HIS
SECRETARY OF STATE, COLIN POWELL, HAD LIT THE FUSE
WITH THEIR SELECTION OF THE SAUDI-BORN BILLIONAIRE
DISSIDENT, OSAMA BIN LADEN, AS THEIR PRIME
SUSPECT. THE MAN IS AN ARAB AND A MUSLIM, ALBEIT
ONE WHO BELIEVES IN A VERSION OF THE KORAN WHICH
ESPOUSES VIOLENCE AS PART OF THE WORSHIP OF ALLAH.
BUT THE WAVE OF ATTACKS ON MUSLIMS OR PEOPLE OF
MIDDLE EASTERN APPEARANCE IN THE U. S. A. IS VERY
DISTURBING, NOT ONLY FOR THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION,
BUT FOR THE WORLD AS WELL. . . THE PROBLEM FOR
THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION IS CLEAR. THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE ARE STILL ITCHING TO WREAK REVENGE ON
WHOEVER ATTACKED THE WORLD TRADE CENTER AND THE
PENTAGON. UNDER THIS TREMENDOUS PUBLIC PRESSURE,
THE ADMINISTRATION FELT IT HAD TO COME UP WITH
SOMETHING OR SOMEONE - AND OSAMA BIN LADEN, HELD
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOMBINGS OF U. S. EMBASSIES IN
NAIROBI AND DAR ES SALAAM IN 1998 - WAS IT.
NOBODY CAN BLAME THE U. S. GOVERNMENT FOR WANTING
TO PUNISH WHOEVER ATTACKED THEIR CAPITAL AND THEIR
UNCLASSIFIED

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CENTER OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS. A MOST HEINOUS
CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED AND PERPETRATORS MUST BE
FOUND AND PUNISHED, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. BUT IN
THE HUNT FOR THE TERRORISTS, THE U. S. GOVERNMENT
MUST BE CAREFUL THAT IT DOES NO SQUANDER THE
GOODWILL AND SYMPATHY OF A WORLD AS OUTRAGED BY
THE ATROCITY AS THEY ARE."

ROTH

UNCLASSIFIED

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