PUTRAJAYA, February 5 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Renewing his opposition to U.S growing war threats to Iraq, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed warned this offensive would only leave a new generation of Al-Qaeda members and increase Muslim feelings of injustice.

Speaking at the palatial prime minister’s office in the new administrative capital of Putrajaya on Wednesday, February 5, Mahathir made it clear that Malaysia would reluctantly back any military action against Iraq only with a decision by the United States that the Arab country had failed to get rid of its alleged weapons of mass destruction.

“If the U.N. says, so we will,” he said, but adding that he feared the consequences of a war could spread in the world ahead due to the enmity to be ignited by the sight of Iraqi civilian casualties during the potential showdown.

“It is unfortunate that no effort is given to solving the root cause of such violence which could otherwise put a complete stop to such utter madness,” he had said.

He argued that war could create more followers for Al-Qaeda, the group Washington blamed for the September 11 hijack attacks on Washington and New York, or Jemaah Islamiah, the Southeast Asian network said to be behind the bombings on the Indonesian island of Bali that killed nearly 200 mostly western tourists last October, ABC Radio Australia News reported.

“That is why I feel the U.S. should not increase the anger in the Muslim world by attacking Iraq. It does not contribute to the fight against terrorism.”

Malaysia, considered a multicultural country with Muslim majority, takes over the chair of the Non-Aligned Movement of developing nations later this month, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference in October.

Due to retire in October after 22 years in charge, the senior Malaysian official is speaking just hours before Secretary of State Colin Powell due to present evidence to the United Nations to show Iraq’s failure to get rid of its weapons of mass destruction.

“But of late, he sounds more hawkish than before. I don’t know, perhaps because he’s a member of the administration he must toe the line,” said Mahathir.

“But I think as one of the few moderate members of the cabinet he would respect the need to get support from the rest of the world for attacking Iraq.”

Mahathir wrote to Bush counseling against war.

“I received a reply from him explaining the fear of (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein having weapons of mass destruction, and obviously the animosity is directed against Saddam Hussein.”

“But we are not concerned with Saddam Hussein. We are concerned with the people of Iraq,” he added.

“For 10 long years, the people of Iraq have been starved of food, deprived of medicine. About 1.5 million of them died as a result, children have been born deformed.”

Mahathir has repeatedly called for lifting sanctions slapped on Baghdad since the 1991 Gulf War.

Mahathir lashed out at the U.S. objective of toppling Saddam, saying the world has been highly selective over the repressive regime it takes an action against.