Terror leader seeks Iraqi defence volunteers

A Palestinian terror leader today called on Arabs to volunteer to help defend Iraq in the event of an Anglo-American invasion.

“We call upon all nationalist and Islamist forces to immediately call for opening the doors to recruit volunteers to defend Iraq and its people,” said Salah el-Youssef, a member of the central committee of the Palestine Liberation Front.

El-Youssef was addressing a rally at the Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp near the Lebanese port of Sidon.

About 500 people attended the rally, which was organised by the PLF. The group is led by Abul Abbas, who is is wanted by the US for masterminding the 1985 hijacking of the Achille Lauro cruise ship in which a wheelchair-bound American passenger was killed.

Colonel Hassan Shaker of the main Fatah group, called for Arabs to volunteer to go to Baghdad to act as “human shields” for Iraqi institutions in the event of a US led attack.

Shaker, whose faction is led by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, also urged Arab governments to refuse to allow American forces to use their territories for an offensive against Iraq.

“Solidarity with Iraq is solidarity with the Palestinian people. A war against Iraq will not leave any human being or stone untouched,” Shaker said.

The rally was held to express solidarity with Iraq and its President Saddam Hussein. Participants burned US, British and Israeli flags and carried posters of Saddam, Arafat and Abul Abbas.