US embassy cable - 01HARARE2769

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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