Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has warned that his country will not take part in a "crusade" that would threaten its spiritual values, but that it will aid those who want to fight terrorism.
"We will not accept that our very nature be perverted, that we be discriminated against for being Arabs, Berbers or Muslims, or that we become suspects simply for being members of this civilization," Bouteflika said on Sunday in a speech before magistrates who had gathered for the opening of the judicial calendar.
The Algerian president maintained that his country was ready to cooperate with the west within a framework that clearly defined terrorism, saying it was not acceptable to blame Afghanistan for terrorist acts and not the west -- a possible reference to Israeli activities in the occupied territories.
Since the September 11 attacks on the US, several Arab countries have said they want to remain within the framework set by the UN concerning participation in a coalition against terrorism.
On October 15, the Algerian president expressed his country's solidarity with the United States, but has since then stressed the need for the UN to clearly define the aims of the current battle against terrorism -- a request widely echoed by Arab public opinion.
"If the great powers have a strategic mission, we are not part of these countries," said Bouteflika on Sunday.
Until now, Algeria has had no mass protests against the US-led strikes in Afghanistan, even though a number of Algerian citizens do not hide their sympathy for the Taliban regime and for Osama bin Laden, the Saudi dissident accused of being behind the September 11 attacks against the Pentagon and the World Trade Center.
Since 1992, Algeria has seen more than 100,000 people killed in systematic violence linked to Islamic extremists throughout the north African country -- ALGIERS, (AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
