Saudi bombing a cowardly act

The murderous explosions in Saudi Arabia early yesterday morning are another painful illustration of the constant threat terrorism poses to a decent world. Saudi authorities set out to capture those responsible for the blast, offering a huge reward as an incentive.

U.S. President Clinton has promised that the full weight of America's FBI investigative agency will help uncover the truth. These steps are vital in the wake of the blast, which killed and injured more than 250 persons near Dhahran.

One must wish law enforcement well, and hope the killers are arrested quickly and dealt with by the full force of the law. What is most troubling is the spiral of hatred which continues to increase the number and intensity of terrorist attacks.

The truck bomb explosion at the King Abdul Aziz Air Base near Dhahran is only the latest of such terrible events. In recent times, car and truck bombs have been used throughout the world.

They are not used by soldiers, but by cowards. They do not terrorize regimes or governments, but only peaceful citizens.

There are those who will excuse the Dhahran bombing on the basis that most of the victims were American servicemen. This is beside the point. The victims were asleep or at rest, and their duties were not in any way aimed against Saudi citizens.

Most of those killed or wounded were involved in United Nations and allied efforts to keep the peace in Iraq. The arguments that Saudi Arabia somehow makes such acts inevitable by its harsh laws against internal dissent is equally specious.

The only way terrorism will be defeated is through the establishment of international cooperation against the murderers. The cliche that "one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter" is simply untrue.

Bombers who knowingly plan to put innocent civilians at risk deserve neither praise or support, whether they target a train in southern Thailand or a barracks in Saudi Arabia.

This battle against terrorism must proceed across borders and must be universal. Civic, political and religious leaders have a duty to condemn all terrorism.

Ends do not justify the means. Even the high ideals of a group do not excuse use of random and deadly violence against the innocent. Every peaceful citizen has the right to go about his or her life without fear that a madman in a truck will snuff it out.

-- The Bangkok Post