(16 May 2002)
1. Wide shot Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad walks to podium
2. Wide shot audience
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysian Prime Minister:
"We now face another common threat which constitutes a great challenge, terrorism. Terrorism is a crime, a crime against humanity as a whole. It is a crime against the whole world no matter who or what or which country has been, or is being, targeted. The attack on September 11 effects the whole world and damages not just buildings in the particular country and the people in them. It has shattered the confidence of the world and has left an atmosphere of fear."
4. Wide shot Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysian Prime Minister:
"Let me be perfectly clear about one thing, Malaysia has no tolerance of terrorists. Whether people are fighting for what they consider a noble cause or not, there are certain acts which they may not perpetrate. Exploding bombs in public places and killing innocent civilians cannot be accepted. Holding people to ransom or as shields cannot be accepted. Withholding foods, medicine and the water supply cannot be accepted. Deliberate killing of civilians even when sanctioned by legitimate governments is equally unacceptable. These are acts of terror and anyone committing these acts must be regarded as terrorists by everyone, irrespective of the causes they are fighting for, irrespective of their religion, race or creed."
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysian Prime Minister:
"And once they are defined as terrorists it is the duty of everyone, every country to hunt them down and to bring them to justice. There must be no discrimination on any basis. The attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, the human bomb attacks by Palestinians and the Tamil Tigers, the attacks against civilians by Israeli forces in Jenin and elsewhere, the killings of Bosnian muslims and others are acts of terrorism, and the perpetrators must therefore be condemned as terrorists. Where states are behind the acts of terrorism their government must stand condemned."
7. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
STORYLINE:
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad firmly condemned global terrorism in a speech to business leaders in Washington DC on Tuesday.
Mahathir said Malaysia strongly opposed terrorism and would support the US in its campaign against international terror.
Since the early 1990s, Mahathir has complained about what he considers the tendency of the West, and specifically the United States, to force smaller countries to accept alien values.
But the Bush administration has warmed to Mahathir since the terror attacks in the US on September 11.
Since the attacks, Malaysia has arrested more than 60 suspected Islamic militants with alleged ties to al-Qaida.
The arrests include a former army captain accused of letting two of the suicide hijackers meet in his apartment in 2000.
Malaysia had also provided key intelligence about al-Qaida activities throughout Southeast Asia, according to FBI Director Robert Mueller.
Human rights groups argue that Mahathir is using the fight against al-Qaida as an excuse to wipe out legitimate Islamic political opposition at home.
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