LIBYAN leader Muammar Gadaffi on Tuesday questioned the legitimacy of the United States leading an international campaign against terrorism, and also accused Britain of being the country sheltering the largest number of terrorists. In comments published on the official Libyan government website, Gadaffi warned against a two-speed policy towards states accused of harbouring terrorists. “It is not logical to task the United States with the mission” of fighting terrorism, he said. He asked whether the United States planned to attack Britain, saying that in his view that country sheltered the largest number of terrorists in the world, a reference to the asylum granted by London to several political opponents condemned in their countries. He said that a “two-speed policy will disrupt the international consensus and will make us lose the fight against terrorism.” The Libyan leader added that any support for US military action after the September 11 attacks would be “premature.” Gadaffi, who condemned the attacks, said his country — still on the US State Department’s blacklist of states that support terrorism — was against extremist Muslim movements, and vowed to combat them. – AFP
Tuesday Ocotober 2, 2001