CAIRO Ñ Arab states, including allies of the United States, have stressed that they will not join a Washington-led military coalition against terrorism.

The Arab refusal to join a coalition comes as the United States has bolstered forces in the Gulf in any offensive against Saudi billionaire fugitive Osama Bin Laden. A Pentagon official said in Washington on Wednesday that more than 100 fighter-jets are moving to bases in the Persian Gulf region. Two hundred U.S. combat aircraft are already in the Gulf region.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has warned against an international war against Bin Laden and said Cairo will not participate in such a conflict.

"We are not talking about Egyptian forces," Mubarak said. "I can not say that Bin Laden is solely responsible. Do not attack Afghanistan and do not kill Bin Laden because this would create a new generation working for terrorism."

Lebanon and Syria have decided against cooperation in any coalition with the United States, Arab diplomatic sources said. They said neither country will abide by the U.S. demand for both countries to expel groups that appear on the State Department list of terrorist organizations.

At the same time, Syria is said to have ordered the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah to end all attacks on Israel from the Lebanese border. The Israeli Haaretz daily said on Thursday that Syria is said to fear that any Hizbullah attack would result in a U.S. backlash toward the regime of President Hafez Assad.

On Sunday, the Gulf Cooperation Council will hold an emergency session in Riyad to discuss the U.S. demand for Arab help for any effort against terrorism. GCC foreign ministers will meet on Sunday at the request of Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia said it severed diplomatic ties with Afghan's Taliban movement. Only three countries Ñ Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates Ñ have maintained such ties with Taliban. On Thursday, Taliban's religious council called on Bin Laden to leave Afghanistan.

But opposition groups in several Arab countries and Pakistan are warning regimes against extending help to Washington in any attack against Saudi billionaire fugitive Osama Bin Laden or his government sponsors. This included groups in Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon and Yemen.

Arab diplomatic sources said several countries have relayed information to Washington. They include Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon and Yemen. Sudan has also offered to provide information on a list of 200 suspects drawn up by U.S. authorities.

Yemen, however, appears to be bracing for a U.S. attack. The Qatari Al Raya daily quoted Yemeni sources as saying that three provinces in the country are believed to be targets.

Print this Article

Email this article

Free Headline Alerts