Anti-Terror Forum Slams US
Participants at the 1st National Meeting against terrorism sessioning in Panama strongly condemned the US and its President George W Bush, and reenergized their solidarity with Cuba.

The encounter was held at the University of Panama, sponsored by the National Coordinating Committee of Solidarity with Cuba and former Colon province Governor Gassan Salama.

Prominent personalities such as Panama´s International Law Academy President, Dr Julio Berrios, made it clear that the world had faced the US atrocities much before the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were launched on the Twin Towers.

"It was precisely in 2000 when several Cuban-born terrorists led by Luis Posada Carriles were seized while planning to assassinate President Fidel Castro," Berrios pointed out.

"Thousands of Panamanians could have also died in that assassination attempt, which gave way to a rigged trial and wound up with ex President Mireya Moscoso´s pardoning of the criminals in 2004," he contended.

Berrios said notorious terrorist Posada Carriles, who confessed his involvement in the bombing of a Cuban airline that killed 73 people in 1976, only faces a ridiculous trial in the US for illegal entry, irrespective of his huge criminal dossier.

Walid Sayed, chief of the Latin American Center for Palestinian Research, referred to the US double standard against nations that defend their right to independence as terrorists but ignore atrocities committed by the Israeli regime.

Cuban embassy to Panama´s political councillor Leonel Urbino said Havana would commemorate the 47th anniversary of the Revolution triumph "despite the US economic blockade and stepped-up imperialist aggressions."

Local union and youth organizations read texts condemning the George W Bush administration and its warmongering policy against the Third World.

Documentaries about the coup against Chilean President Salvador Allende, invasions of Panama, Afghanistan and Iraq, starvation in Africa and hardships children have faced due to wars were shown in the meeting.