The Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah issued a communiqué marking the anniversary of events of the eleventh of September in which he said.

Nine-eleven constituted a major shock to the world conscience. Its repercussions on the world peace and security were devastating. This is especially true in our Muslim and Arab region which was accused of promoting terrorism and as a result many of its regions were occupied.

We have vehemently condemned these acts of terror because they could not be accepted by any reason, law and religion.

On this occasion, we would like to make the following points:

Firstly: The American Administration ought to have made an objective assessment that looks for the real and deep reasons that led these people to do such an unprecedented act of protest of which we believe the successive American Administrations hold a big responsibility in paving the way for, as a result of the way it approaches the issues of our region. These Administrations have confiscated the peoples of our region through its support of the autocratic regimes, as well as its adoption of the Zionist entity and the usurpation of the wealth of the Muslims and the back trodden in the world… The way the Americans responded whether by accusing Islam and not its followers by terrorism or by resorting to occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan has further complicated the situation, and made several additional countries a front for chaos and local and regional turmoil.

Secondly: It has become clearer today that the US administration’s declaration of a war on terror in response to the September 11 events…is nothing but a war against those who oppose America's policies and strategic plans, particularly the big Middle East project.

Moreover, the issue of spreading democracy was only a pretext, to execute this project. That is why it stopped it when it clashed with the people's choices that ran counter to its interests.

Thirdly: What happened on nine eleven should drive the American people to adopt a new mentality in viewing international affairs. They should be more concerned with preserving world peace through the respect of people's rights of freedom and independence.

They should not turn a blind eye towards the strife and chaos their Administration is creating in many parts of the world which increase the hatred of these peoples to the American people itself.

Fourthly: we do not wish to offend the peaceful American people. But we call on the Americans to examine their Administration policies towards the causes of the nations and to reject what their President is doing. The Americans bear the responsibility of the actions of their Administration because they had elected him, and they are responsible for his practice having not toppled him yet.

It they have toppled those who responsible for the wrong policies towards Vietnam, they should now strive to force a change in the methods and strategies the American Administrations have adopted in the field of international affairs, especially with the increasing risk of waging new wars and massacres that could have dangerous consequences, not only in the Arab and Muslim region, but also in the world in general.

Lastly: we want, as Arabs and Muslims, to be with all the nations, and we want all civilizations to complete one another in serving humanity and its values… the values that were asserted by religions and embodied in international charters, and that are based on justice and the respect of man.