Saddam Hussein yesterday advised Chechen rebels who have taken hundreds hostage in Moscow that they were acting "unwisely" since they could lose whatever support they had in Russia, and were also undermining Islam.
It would be "unwise for Chechens to lose the sympathy of the Russian people and state," the Iraqi President said in a statement read on state television.
"The Russian people will not be interested in the reasons for this act, but the results, which means the Chechens will lose [the support\] of Russians," he said in the message adressed to Muslims around the world, and especially those in Chechnya.
"This will give Zionism and America an opportunity to undermine Islam and the Muslims, because of this behaviour," he added.
"Zionism and America are the Satan of our era, not Russia, China or India. Do not push these countries to hate Islam and the Muslims and stand against them on Satan's side," he said.
"The Russians, despite being Orthodox Christians, have not proved themselves to be fanatics against Islam and the Muslims, neither in the past nor present," Saddam said.
"On the contrary, the Russian state and the former Soviet Union maintained, with few exceptions, good relations with Muslim countries, notably the Arab states," he added.
Iraq maintains good relations with Russia, its main supporter in the UN Security Council, where discussions are under way over a strongly worded US-proposed resolution to resume arms inspections in Iraq.
The United States has repeatedly said it wants to topple Saddam's regime over its alleged weapons of mass destruction programme.
The Chechen rebels have threatened to start executing hostages unless their demands for a Russian withdrawal from Chechnya are met.
- (AFP)