Kuala Lumpur: Palestinian suicide bombers were labelled "terrorists" alongside Israeli forces at the opening of a major Islamic conference on terrorism in Kuala Lumpur on April 1.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad said in an attempt to define terrorism that attacks against civilians must be regarded as acts of terror and the perpetrators regarded as terrorists.

Such acts include the assault on the World Trade Centre in New York on September 11, the human bomb attacks by Palestinians and LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) and the attacks against civilians by Israeli forces, Mahathir said.

He was addressing foreign ministers or their representatives from 52 countries of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference at a special three-day session designed to bring Muslim states into the mainstream of the global debate on terrorism.

Mahathir said that once the world had accepted a definition of terrorism, the UN could lead global action against the terrorists.

He objected to the linking of Muslims to terrorism, saying it was not perpetrated by one race or religion, and called on Muslims everywhere to "condemn terrorism once it is clearly defined. Terrorising people is not the way of Islam."

Mahathir said, however, that Muslims had grievances, which were "real and truly unbearable, beyond mere understanding and tolerance."

He then referred at some length to the history of the Palestinian people and said, "If we are serious about stopping terrorists then we must stop both Palestinians and Israelis from mutual suicide."

He said there was "a great deal of bitterness and anger among Muslims" because of ideological, military and economic dominance by developed countries.

"The impotence of Muslim countries to do anything to remedy the situation adds to this frustration and anger," he said, leading some people to "commit terrible acts of terror".

"The world must deal with these misguided people not just by hunting them down but also by removing the causes of their anger and frustration," he said.