KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9: Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad triggered a diplomatic walkout from a human rights conference on Friday when he accused the United States and Britain of killing innocent civilians in Iraq. Mr Mahathir, who is famous for his anti-Western rhetoric, described Britain and the United States as liars, terrorists and murderers, prompting diplomats, including British High Commissioner Bruce Cleghorn, to leave the venue.

Mr Cleghorn ‘was not prepared to listen to a tirade of abuse and misrepresentation of his country and its foreign policy’, British High Commission first secretary Edward Hobart told AFP.

Hungarian ambassador Tamas Toth confirmed he also walked out in protest, saying his country was part of the “coalition of the willing” and has sent troops to Iraq.

Mr Mahathir told the audience of some 350 diplomats and human rights activists that the invasion in Iraq was made on false pretences, and that the claim Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction “was a lie”.

“The British and American bomber pilots came, unopposed, safe and cosy in their state-of-the-art aircrafts, pressing buttons to drop bombs, to kill and maim real people who were their targets, just targets,” he said.

“And these murderers, for that is what they are, would go back to celebrate ‘mission accomplished’.”

“Who are the terrorists? The people below who were bombed or the bombers. Whose rights have been snatched away?” he said.

“But the people whose hands are soaked in the blood of the innocents, the blood of the Iraqis ... the people who ignored international law and mounted military attacks, have these people a right to question human rights in our country?” he asked.

The United States embassy said none of its officials attended the conference but that it was preparing a response to Mr Mahathir’s allegations.

Mr Mahathir, who was regularly criticized over human rights issues during his two-decade tenure which ended in 2003, defended his own record, saying he had used Malaysia’s draconian internal security laws only ‘sparingly’. The veteran leader defended his comments in a press conference held later.—AFP