Mahathir says U.S. visa move regrettable

Mahathir says U.S. visa move regrettable

MALAYSIA: Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Sunday regretted
reports that mostly-Muslim Malaysia was among Washington's target
for tougher visa controls.

"This is rather regrettable because we know that even now
there are terrorists who are non-Muslims," state news agency
Bernama quoted Mahathir as saying in Putrajaya, the federal
administrative center south of Kuala Lumpur.

The United States said on Friday it would target certain
groups from some countries for longer checks before issuing visas
in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks by hijackers, many of whom
were in the country on temporary visas.

The Star newspaper in Kuala Lumpur said on Sunday besides
Malaysia, those affected were Pakistan, Afghanistan, Algeria,
Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan,
Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and
Sudan. --Reuters