"The terrorist attacks that damaged the Pentagon building near Washington and destroyed the two World Trade Center skyscrapers in New York, killing perhaps thousands, are a "massive tragedy not only in the United States but for all people," Ambassador Mamadou Seck of Senegal said September 13.
The ambassador told the Washington File that the attacks against America "were attacks against all freedom-loving people which will be answered by the United States with the help of its [international] friends."
Ambassador Seck, a jet pilot and air force general who was formerly chief of the Senegalese general staff, said he sent a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell after the attacks, offering his nation's condolences for the lives lost and emphasizing that "we must have solidarity to combat terrorism together and we [Senegal] are available with our small means to share in this war against terrorism."
Seck said that "Islam is exactly like Christianity" when it comes to tolerance for all faiths and religions. But "the terrorists who killed these innocent people in New York and Washington are radicals who are motivated by power," he said. "How can one be a [religious] believer and do these things?"
To drive his point home, Seck said, "My country is 95 percent Muslim, but when we were asked in 1991 to be part of the allied coalition that drove the Iraqis, who are mainly Muslim, out of Kuwait, we joined willingly because we knew this was not a war against Muslims but an effort to drive out an invader."
From “Senegalese Ambassador Condemns Terrorist Attacks in America (Amb. Seck calls for anti-terrorist solidarity)” (Washington File, U.S. Dept of State) http://pdq.state.gov/scripts/cqcgi.exe/@pdqtest1.env?CQ_SESSION_KEY=XOUDKPCNVHXD&CQ_QUERY_HANDLE=124081&CQ_CUR_DOCUMENT=18&CQ_PDQ_DOCUMENT_VIEW=1&CQSUBMIT=View&CQRETURN=&CQPAGE=1
Other Stories:
“A View from Africa: American Volunteers in Africa Gather in wake of Attack” (ABC News)
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/DailyNews/wtc_livni_africa010918.html
“Call for African pact against terrorism” (BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_1553000/1553654.stm
“Senegal: President urges creation of African anti-terrorism pact” (IRIN)
http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN/wa/countrystories/senegal/20010920.phtml
“Africa should fight terrorism” (Sapa-AP)
http://news.24.com/News24/Africa/West_Africa/0,1113,2-11-998_1082664,00.html
“Blair builds anti-terror coalition” (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.co.uk/news_article.jhtml?type=topnews&StoryID=224975
“African Leaders Condemn Attacks in US” (Voice of America)
http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectid=E2C5F943-FF01-45DA-85B21658598A6C42&Title=African%20Leaders%20Condemn%20Attacks%20in%20US&CatOID=45C9C789-88AD-11D4-A57200A0CC5EE46C
Later Additions:
Dakar Hosts Terror Summit (New Vision, Kampala)
http://allafrica.com/stories/200110180119.html
African Leaders to Forge Anti-Terror Pact (Vanguard, Lagos)
http://allafrica.com/stories/200110160288.html