9/11 the worst man-made disaster, says Mahathir

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KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today laid bare the repercussions of the 9/11 attacks on America, labelling it as the worst man-made disaster for the world since the end of the last World War in 1945.

He said the events of 9/11 had resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and Afghans as well as a few thousand American and British soldiers, besides causing devastation to two Muslim countries .

“It has divided the world into Muslim and non-Muslim, and sowed the seeds of suspicion and hatred between them,” he said, adding that it had also undermined the security of nations which had to spend trillions of dollars on security measures.

“Yet the threat remains, not so much from alleged terrorists as from the powerful states and their crusade to change the world,” Dr Mahathir said in his speech at the international conference on ‘9/11 Revisited – Seeking the Truth’, here, Monday.

The Malaysian statesman said it was important to seek the truth behind 9/11 “because when the truth is revealed, then we can really prepare to protect and secure ourselves”.

Sharing his views on the aerial attacks on America on Sept 11, 2001, which, among others, destroyed the iconic Twin Towers in New York, Dr Mahathir pointed out that the attacks involved very complex elements which needed detailed planning, precise timing and disciplined execution. –Bernama