WASHINGTON, July 6: Libyan leader colonel Muammar Gaddafi, predicting "more and more violent acts of terrorism in America," offered in a published interview today to help fight it, reports Reuter.

"I condemn It and stand ready to cooperate with America and other Western Powers to eradicate it, despite what is still being said about me," Gaddafi told the Washington Times newspaper after being asked if he condoned "terrorism."

The Libyan leader has long been accused of harbouring international guerillas and of funding and organising major acts of violence.

Gaddafi made overtures to the United States and President Bill Clinton saying, "Clinton and I belong to the same democratic camp" and "the process of normalisation (of relations) should begin without further delay." The United States severed relations with Libya in 1986.

Gaddafi described Clinton as a "kind, well-intentioned man" who "must resist the temptation

to demonstrate that he is decisive" by emulating the policies of Presidents George Bush and Ronald Reagan.

"He must be encouraged to break out of the policies he has been locked Into and Libya is ready to reciprocate," Gaddafi said.

He took strong exception to the June 26 US cruise missile raid on Iraqi Intelligence I lead quarters in Baghdad and said Clinton was badly advised in the mistaken belief this would help him domestically

If you get rid of (Iraqi leader) Saddam Hussein you will have 10 new Saddam's to cope with in different parts of the world,' Gaddafi said. "A new (oreign policy must mean talking to people you disagree with — and not bombing them or imposing sanctions that don’t work any-

Gaddafl blamed both Libya and the United States, as well as othgr powers, for helping "certain Afghan Mujahideen Guerilla factions" against Soviet occupation forces in the 1980s,

which "gave birth to Islamic terrorists in other parts of the world."

Gaddafi said Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, the spiritual leader of suspects in the World Trade Centre bombing as well as a plot to blow up UN Headquarters, two New York tunnels and Federal office building there, was originally "one of your operatives. "

Abdel-Rahman had "'close connections with the CIA during the war In Afghanistan." the Libyan leader said, referring to the US Central Intelligence Agency.

Two Libyans have been accused by the United States and Britain of major involvement in the 1988 downing of PAN AM flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, that killed 270 people.

Libya, as a state, has no objection to a fair and impartial trail. But the enormous amount of pretrial news coverage in America and Britain makes it impossible to select an unbiased jury." Gaddafi sa|d.