Iraqi newspaper praises Osama bin Laden 

By WAIEL FALEH, Associated Press 

BAGHDAD, Iraq (October 14, 2001. A newspaper owned by President Saddam Hussein's
son sang the praises of terrorist suspect Osama Bin Laden on Sunday, likely signaling a shift
in the Iraqi government's attitude to the United States' No. 1 enemy. 

While Iraq has been quick to condemn the United States for its air strikes on Afghanistan, it
had previously downplayed their target - bin Laden, the chief suspect in the Sept. 11 attacks
on the United States. Protesters at a mass demonstration last week in Baghdad denounced
America but did not carry bin Laden posters or chant his name. 

Government officials denied media reports of an Iraqi link to bin Laden. They pointed out
that Iraq does not recognize the Afghanistan government that harbors him. 

However, on Sunday the newspaper Babil published a column that addressed itself to the
foreign ministers who took part in the Organization of the Islamic Conference meeting in
Qatar on Wednesday. The conference gave quiet support to the U.S. air strikes. 

"(President) Bush despises you," the columnist told the ministers. "He did not inform you of
the strikes because you have no say. He informed (British Prime Minister Tony) Blair,
(Russian President Vladimir) Putin and others while you were sitting ... Shame on you." 

The columnist was not named, but Babil is owned by Odai Hussein, the son of the president. 

"Compare your faces to Osama's beautiful appearance on all televisions of the world,
swearing that he will not let America live in peace until Arabs do," the columnist continued,
referring to the videotaped speech of bin Laden that was broadcast shortly after the air strikes
began on Oct. 7. 

"He said it while facing blasphemy's missiles falling ... and the whole world listened," the
columnist wrote. 

On another page, Babil published a poem written in homage to bin Laden. 

"All America is trying to kill me and I wish to die while fighting," says one line. The poet
portrays bin Laden as lonely figure enduring "the oppression of the enemy." 
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