Cablegate: Media Reaction Q Attempted Attack On Us Embassy

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UNCLAS TOKYO 005250

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM;
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI;
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA;
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE;
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION Q ATTEMPTED ATTACK ON US EMBASSY
IN SYRIA - TOKYO

LEAD STORIES: Wednesday morning's liberal Mainichi front-
paged the attempt by armed Islamic militants to storm the
US Embassy in Damascus on Tuesday.

1. There were no immediate editorials or commentaries
concerning the attack on the US Embassy in Damascus.

2. "Attack on US Embassy in Damascus: Threat of Terrorism
Reemerges" Washington correspondent Kasahara of the
liberal Mainichi wrote (9/13): "The attempt by Islamic
militants to storm the US Embassy in Damascus one day
after the fifth anniversary of 9/11 illustrates the
difficulty that the US is facing in continuing the war on
terrorism. Initial reports of the attack reached the US
just hours after President Bush delivered a speech from
the White House in which he said that the world and the
US have become safer. The attack, though, made clear that
the threat of terrorism against the US remains
undiminished. Some in the US are of the view that the
nature of the attack suggests that it was not carried out
by al-Qaeda or any other major terrorist organization. If
this turns out to be the work of a small group, it could
reflect growing anti-American sentiment in the Islamic
world over the Iraq war."

SCHIEFFER

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