Indonesia, Asian states condemn killing of hostage<\/p>\n
Agencies, Jakarta\/Tokyo<\/p>\n
Indonesia and other Asian countries reeled in horror on Wednesday
\nat the beheading of a South Korean hostage in Iraq, but some of
\nthem joined the United States in praising Seoul for refusing to
\nbow to the kidnappers' demand to withdraw troops.<\/p>\n
\"The Indonesian government condemns the 'barbaric killing' and
\nact of terrorism committed against Kim Sun-il, who was held
\nhostage by a terrorist group in Iraq,\" Marty A. Natalegawa told
\nThe Jakarta Post. on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\"This act of terrorism cannot be justified on any grounds,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Riza Sihbudi, a scholar at the Indonesian Institute of
\nSciences (LIPI), also condemned the beheading, saying the slaying
\nof a civilian was unacceptable.<\/p>\n
\"We, of course, cannot condone the killing of a civilian, but
\nit also cannot be denied that this is a result of conditions
\ncreated by the United States in Iraq. The militants' discontent
\nat the U.S. is on the rise now,\" Riza told the Post.<\/p>\n
He said that such action had been taken to put pressure on the
\nU.S.-led coalition to speed up the transfer of sovereignty to the
\nIraqi people.<\/p>\n
Japan, China and Australia were also among the countries that
\nalong with the United Nations condemned the murder of translator
\nKim, 33, whose headless body was found by U.S. troops beside the
\nroad between the flashpoint city of Falluja and Baghdad.<\/p>\n
Militants linked to alleged al-Qaeda operative Abu Mussab al-
\nZarqawi beheaded Kim on Tuesday after demanding that South Korea
\nreverse a decision to deploy around 3,600 troops to Iraq.<\/p>\n
The United States strongly condemned the brutal act.<\/p>\n
\"They're trying to force us to withdraw from the world so they
\ncan impose their dark vision on people,\" U.S. President George W.
\nBush told reporters.<\/p>\n
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan offered his
\ncondolences and said nothing could justify the killing.<\/p>\n
\"The secretary general condemns in the strongest terms this
\nheartless crime, which no political or other cause can justify,\"
\nAnnan's spokesman said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Iraq's civilian overseer Paul Bremer called the killing
\n\"outrageous\".<\/p>\n
\"My sympathy goes to the family of the young man who was
\nkilled. It shows really the challenges we are up against when you
\nhave people who commit such a grisly operation.\"<\/p>\n
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, said in a message
\nto her South Korean counterpart Ban Ki-moon that she felt \"deep
\nsorrow and strong anger\" for the murder.<\/p>\n
\"We share deepest sorrow and extend sincere condolences to the
\nbereaved family, related individuals, your government and your
\npeople,\" Kawaguchi said.<\/p>\n
China, which opposed the U.S.-led war in Iraq, and went
\nthrough its own hostage drama in April when seven of its citizens
\nwere seized in Falluja, issued a short reaction.<\/p>\n
\"China feels shocked and condemns it,\" the foreign ministry
\nsaid in a statement.<\/p>\n
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said the news was
\n\"sickening\".<\/p>\n
\"My heart goes out to that poor man's family who've suffered
\nso much,\" Howard said.<\/p>\n
After Britain, Australia was the strongest backer of the U.S.-
\nled invasion of Iraq and has some 850 troops in the country.<\/p>\n
Another staunch ally, Manila similarly expressed its
\nrevulsion, with newly elected Philippine President Gloria
\nArroyo's spokesman Ricardo Saludo saying: \"We condemn any form of
\nbloodshed.\"<\/p>\n
Malaysia was the first Islamic nation to condemn the killing.
\nDeputy defense minister Zainal Abidin Zin told AFP: \"We are sad
\nand shocked that this has happened ... we hope the security
\nsituation in Iraq will improve.\"<\/p>\n
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell praised South Korean
\nPresident Roh Moo-hyun's refusal to allow the murder to alter his
\nnation's troop plans.<\/p>\n
\"These evil-doers will not stop us from our work,\" Powell
\nsaid. \"I'm pleased that the South Korean government has been
\nsteadfast over the last several days and remains steadfast in the
\nface of this kind of terrorism.\"<\/p>\n
Japan, which refused to withdraw from Iraq when three of its
\ncitizens were taken hostage earlier this year, also commended
\nRoh.<\/p>\n
\"We share with your government's resolute stance not to bow to
\nterrorism,\" Kawaguchi said.<\/p>",
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