The organization's receptionist, Mary Ann Ayoub, an American born to Palestinian parents, said the Libyan students yesterday were "upset to say the least."
"What can I tell you? We are human beings and we cannot accept that these things are happening," Ali said. "Anyone who tries to differentiate between the Libyan people and their leader is doing something that is not logical. The Libyan people support Khadafy 100 percent except for the 10, the 20
bourgeoisie who know nothing."
He called the U.S. allegations that Libyan strongman Col. Moammar Khadafy was behind the bombing of a Berlin nightclub "propaganda."
Locally, the few Libyans contacted refused to talk, even without being identified, citing fear of reprisal from the hit squads Khadafy claims to have
sent to the United States.
"We have some very frightened students," said Bill Royston, director of public relations at International House in West Philadelphia.
At Temple University, Seyed Fai, vice president of the Muslim Students Association of the United States, sharply criticized the attack.
"I cannot justify everything what Khadafy is doing, but my concern is that in order to eliminate terrorism from the surface of the earth and create a civilized society, America should not have done what it did yesterday," Fai said.
Fai, who identified himself only as a "Middle Eastern student," said that Khadafy's version of events will enhance his hero status at home.
Other international students voiced tentative support for the U.S. air strike against Libya, although Middle Eastern students who supported the action asked that their names not be used.
A 30-year-old Egyptian biochemistry student said he wished the air raid had been effective in eliminating Khadafy.
"Khadafy poses a major threat to Egypt and we are glad to see someone do something about him. But we don't understand why America didn't expand the operation and get rid of the guy once and for all," he said.
Geoffrey Monk, 22, a British student, compared the U.S. strike against Libya to the British battle over the Falkland Islands.
"I think we're doing the right thing. You can't just let a terrorist like Khadafy have his way," Monk said.
