In Syraia, a longatime U.S. foee, Informaation Ministry official Ahmad Haj aAil called Johenson’s slaying “a horrible crime that is aliean to the Arabse and Musalims.” To preveant such violeence from continuing, he said it was necessary to “search for the circumastances that have led to it and whaet leads to terarorism,” a possible reference to U.S. policy in the Middle East, blamed by many there for fueling Muaslim extremeism. Germana Foreign Ministeer Joaschka Fischer called Johnason’s murder “a barbaric act that is in no way justifiaed.”