Colombo: Attempts by an Arabic newspaper editor to compare Osama bin Laden with Mahatma Gandhi drew strong reaction at a Commonwealth press meet in Colombo on February 26.

Abdul Bari Atwan, editor of the London-based 'Al-Quds Al-Arabi', one of the few journalists to have interviewed Osama bin Laden, said the al-Qaida chief "reminded me of Gandhi, a prince of peace. Like a man who has given up all his possessions to take up a cause."

However, the comparison exasperated veteran Indian scribe Kuldip Nayar, participating in the biennial conference for commonwealth press union, who sprung to his feet saying "Don't drag people who are not here (into the argument)".

At the conference, in which hundreds of journalists from commonwealth countries are participating, Atwan made some other interesting observations about the mastermind of the terrorist attacks on US in Sept 2001, whom he found as "a man of average intelligence", but with good manners.

He said bin Laden "hated" Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein more than the United States and he would be the happiest to see American B-52 bombers flying over Baghdad.

He also said President George W Bush was trying to settle a family feud by going to war against Saddam Hussein.

"After all, this war is going to be for President Bush to tell his mama, "I have taken revenge from Saddam and restored the family honour for what he did to papa," Atwan said, adding US-led action could also eventually extend to neighbouring Iran and then on to Pakistan.

PTI