United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Saturday condemned Friday's bomb attacks in the Moroccan tourist city of Casablanca and called for sustained campaign against international terrorism.

In a statement, UN spokesman Fred Eckhard said Annan "utterly condemns" the attacks, which left at least 40 people dead and more than 60 injured.

The UN chief sent his heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Morocco and to the families of all the dead and injured, Eckhard said.

"The secretary-general especially condemns the deliberate targeting of civilians," he said. "The callous fanaticism and intolerance of these acts is repugnant to all religions and to the great majority of humanity."

Annan "considers that the recent wave of terrorist outrages, coupled with fresh warnings of further attacks being planned, underlines the need for the international community to give its full attention to the need for a broad-based and sustained campaign against international terrorism," Eckhard said.

Last Monday, a truck bombing in Russia's Chechen Republic and a string of suicide attacks in the Saudi capital of Riyadh killed more than 60 people and injured hundreds of others.

Russia, Germany strongly condemn suicide bombings in Jerusalem, Hebron

Russia and Germany on Sunday strongly condemned the latest suicide bomb attacks against Israelis in Jerusalem and the West Bank city of Hebron.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said in a statement that those behind the attacks "want to frighten the population, destabilize the environment, destroy all constructive ideas and initiatives that are directed toward the search for peace and agreement."

Russia regretted that the latest terrorist attacks against Israelis coincided with the first meeting between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in nearly three years, he said.

"We again emphasize our position in support of strengthening the international community's joint fight against terrorism," Yakovenko added.

Condemning the latest attacks, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said in a statement that the suicide bombings "once again made plain the goals and the mentality of the enemies of peace."

"The attempt to torpedo efforts for a political solution of the Mideast conflict cannot be allowed to succeed," said Fischer.

Seven passengers were killed on Sunday in a suicide bomb attack of a Jerusalem bus. An Israeli man and his pregnant wife were also killed on Saturday night when a suicide bomber blew himself up in the center of Hebron.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

The attacks occurred just hours before the summit meeting between new Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and his Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon in Jerusalem.

It was reported that Abbas would ask Sharon to officially accept the international-backed "Roadmap" peace plan, halt "targeted killings" of Palestinian militants and demolition of homes, and lift the closure on the Palestinian territories.

On the other hand, Sharon would demand that the Palestinians crack down on "terrorists" and end incitement against Israel in the Palestinian media.

Sky marshals to be deployed on British flights

United States-style armed sky marshals will be secretly installed on flights into and out of Britain, the Independent newspaper on Sunday quoted British Transport Secretary Alistair Darling as saying.

His announcement came in the wake of renewed fears of terror attacks in the air against British airlines that led to the suspension of all flights to and from Kenya last week.

The initiative, first proposed after the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the US, has met with fierce opposition from the airlines.

Darling is adamant that the plan will go ahead, saying, "We said we had trained a number of people who could be deployed if necessary. We will never release when and where they are deployed for obvious reasons, but the facility is there."

The British government hoped to deal with the international terror threat as well as it can. The government was ready to take all necessary steps to protect the traveling public, including putting armed guards on commercial flights, Darling said.

However, airlines remain skeptical of the initiative. Britain's flag carrier British Airways declined to confirm whether or not sky marshals were being deployed on their flights.

British citizens have been advised against traveling to Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania, Eritrea and Djibouti, since flights to Kenya were suspended on Thursday following a government warning of a "clear terrorist threat" in that region.

Plot to remove Zambian president uncovered

A plot to remove Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa by plunders of national economy has been uncovered, Zambia's Home Affairs Minister Ron Shikapwasha said Saturday.

Shikapwasha made the remark at a public rally attended by Mwanawasa in Mumbwa, Central Province, the official Zambia News Agency reported.

The minister said the scheme was aimed at ushering into the presidential office another economic plunder so that those being investigated for plunder of national economy and those already arrested are released.

He warned that those involved in the plot risk being arrested because they are a threat to the nation as they are being aided by foreign nationals to destabilize the country.

Spokesperson of the Zambian police headquarters Brenda Muntemba confirmed to reporters that no one has been arrested by the police in relation to the alleged plot.

Shikapwasha did not give any names of the plotters, but it is known that former president Frederick Chiluba is being tried for plundering of national resources.

Facing the same charges are former Zambia security intelligence services chief Xavier Chungu and several other ministers and senior officials from the Chiluba government.

Since his assuming office in January 2002, Mwanawasa has embarked on a sweeping anti-corruption crusade, which has put his life in danger, as he has openly alleged on more than one occasions.

Shikapwasha said the plunders are mobilizing funds from southern African countries and Europe to bribe about 33 members of parliament (MPs) from the ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) to resign from the party for the government to collapse and ensure fresh elections.

"We now know that some selfish people plotting to remove President Mwanawasa from office illegally want to use plundered money to bribe 30-33 MMD MPS to resign so that the MMD government falls. If they resign, the MMD government will fall and there will be a call for fresh elections," he said.

As an enticement, he said the plotters have promised to settle on behalf of the MPs, loans acquired from parliament, the Food Reserve Agency and the Zambia National Commercial Bank.

He warned MPs being targeted to desist from associating themselves with corrupt people as they risk being sell-outs.

Reacting to the disclosure, Mwanawasa said the plot to remove him from office would not spare such people from prosecution because the fight against corruption is not his alone.

He said 40 percent of the country's resources have gone into private hands at the expense of development.

Mwanawasa vowed to punish and prosecute economic plunders, adding that even if he is removed from office, the fight against corruption would continue.