(AFP) Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has written a letter to US President George W Bush on ways to fight terrorism, said foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar today.

Syed Hamid said the letter was sent on Friday following a telephone conversation between the two leaders last Monday. No other details of the contents were available.

Mahathir is expected to hold talks with Bush at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shanghai, China on October 20-21, where the issue of terrorism would be high on their agenda, he said.

Malaysia had been shown a US confidential report on the probe into the attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington on Sept 11, the minister said.

Syed Hamid said the report was shown to him by US ambassador to Malaysia Marie Huhtala last Friday.

"We take it that they are not taking action out of revenge ... they are taking action to counter terrorism and terrorist groups that may pose threats to various countries," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

The US has threatened retaliatory strikes against Afghanistan where the ruling Taliban militia is accused of harbouring Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, Washington's main suspect in the attacks.

Freezing accounts

Syed Hamid said Malaysia would cooperate with the US in accordance with the laws of the country and the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council to fight terrorism.

Bank Negara had issued a directive freezing accounts of those named, or with similar names, on a list provided by the US of people suspected of involvement in the terror attacks.

Malaysia would extend humanitarian aid to Afghan refugees, he said.

Mahathir has condemned the attacks but urged Asean members not to join the United States if it launched military strikes against Afghanistan.