Black September in U.S.

Millions of people all the over the world watched in horror as live telecasts showed the horrendous terrorist attacks on U.S. targets on Tuesday morning that claimed the lives of thousands of innocent people, most of whom were at work in the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C.

Although it is too early to tell who the culprits behind the attacks are, one thing is sure, that the heinous crime of such a magnitude was committed by a group of fanatics who have access not only to huge resources of funds, but also to a well-trained terrorist organization.

It is not too difficult to surmise that the masterminds of the terrorism had at least two goals: to humiliate the United States before the world and to psychologically cripple the American people and government.

What the world wonders is what kind of intense hatred could a group of terrorists harbor to motivate it to undertake such inhumane actions, which have sparked condemnation from the world community, including U.S. foes like Libya and Iran.

We believe the terrorist group behind Tuesday's attacks miscalculated the psyche of the American culture and the dynamism of the U.S. political system. This terrorist group is not the first to make such a grave miscalculation. When the home base of the U.S. naval fleet in Pearl Harbor was attacked by Imperial Japanese troops on Dec. 7, 1941, the then Tokyo militarist government thought that the U.S. could be subdued to such a degree that it would eventually sign a treaty that was favorable to Imperial Japan's interests. American response proved to be the opposite. Pearl Harbor became a battle cry, and the U.S. war machine was put in high gear and led to the defeat of Imperial Japanese troops in 1945.

Tuesday's attacks on U.S. soil have become another day that will stand out in American history. Responding to the attacks, President George W. Bush's unequivocal statement was virtually a declaration of war conveyed to an elusive enemy. Warning the terrorists, Bush said: "Make no mistake, the United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for the cowardly acts."

There is always the possibility that the anti-U.S. group behind the attacks was imbued with some nihilistic outlook and driven by a set of anarchic values, and believed that an aroused U.S. would pursue them, thereby trapping a superpower country in a cat-and-mouse game.

This quasi-war situation, coupled with a global economic downturn, does not offer much leeway for countries, such as Indonesia, which are still inching toward recovery.

But it is a matter of principle that we should condemn any form of terrorism, especially when it reaches a level of cold- blooded mass killing such as in Tuesday's attacks in New York and Washington.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda's statement to this newspaper clearly expressed the feelings of many Indonesians. Likewise, the statement of House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung, who said that "terrorism is a frightening phenomenon and Indonesians condemn such despicable actions", emphasizes Indonesia's longtime stance against terrorism.

We join the world community in conveying our deep condolences to the relatives of the victims of the Black September attack in the United States.