AMMAN, Jordan, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Jordan's civil society organizations called Saturday for joining forces to combat terrorism "which serves the enemy and gives excuses for foreign occupation."
A statement signed by 59 organizations said armed struggle against foreign occupation in Iraq and the Palestinian territories is a legitimate right supported by Arab and Muslim peoples.
"But blind killings and suicide operations and bombings targeting innocent civilians and damaging civilian and tourist installations contradict Islamic teachings, international norms and Arab ethical rules," the statement said.
The organizations called for an all-out Arab front to combat terrorism, which they said is being led by groups that lack minimum religious and humanitarian values, tarnishing Islam and Arab and Islamic cultures and civilizations.
They argued that terrorism gives pretexts for continuation of foreign presence in the region, notably American military presence in Iraq.
They said targeting hotels, residential compounds and other civilian installations in Amman, Sharm el-Sheikh, Riyadh, Bali, London and Madrid are "criminal acts that cannot be justified or defended under the pretext of confronting American occupation in Iraq."
Triple suicide bombings that targeted three Amman hotels last months claimed the lives of 60 people and injured 103 others. The attacks were claimed by al-Qaida branch in Iraq, led by Jordanian-born Abu Musab Zarqawi.
The organizations called on Arab civilian groups and activists for democracy and human rights to unify their efforts to contain and condemn terrorism.
They also called on Arab intellectuals to draft an "Arab Pact of Honor" against terrorism and hold conferences for civilian organizations in order to confirm the determination to combat and uproot terrorism.
