As U.S. air strikes against Afghanistan's ruling Taliban entered their third day today, U.N. sources in Islamabad confirmed that four U.N. mine clearance workers were killed last night when a missile struck an Afghan Technical Consultancy building in the capital, Kabul (BBC Online, Oct. 9).
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan yesterday expressed approval of the strikes based on the U.N. Charter, which allows states to act in self-defense. "The states concerned have set their current military action in Afghanistan in that context," Annan said, referring to the United States and the United Kingdom, which participated in strikes that began on Sunday.
"To defeat terrorism, we need a sustained effort and a broad strategy that unite all nations and address all aspects of the scourge we face. The cause must be pursued by all the states of the world, working together and using many different means -- including political, legal, diplomatic and financial means," Annan said.
Annan also stressed the need for humanitarian aid to the Afghan people and the importance of a "political settlement" to the crisis. "The United Nations is actively engaged in promoting the creation of a fully representative, multi-ethnic and broad-based Afghan government," he said (U.N. release, Oct. 8).
General Assembly President Song-su Han called for the "whole world to unite in the fight against terrorism," stressing also the need for aid to Afghans (U.N. Newservice, Oct. 8).
Agence France-Presse reports that the U.N. Security Council has given unanimous support to the strikes. Council unanimity is "absolutely maintained," current President Richard Ryan told reporters after a briefing of the council by U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte and U.K. Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock. The United States has told the council in a letter that it "may find that our self-defense requires further actions with respect to other organizations and other states" (AFP/ninemsn, Oct. 9). Click here for Ryan's statement.
Stressing the support of the United Kingdom, as well as Australia, Canada, France and Germany, which have committed troops, and "more than 40" countries around the world that are allowing the use of their airspace, U.S. President George W. Bush said Sunday that "the battle is now joined on many fronts."
"We will not waver, we will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail. Peace and freedom will prevail," Bush said (White House release, Oct. 7).
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld Sunday stressed the collaborative nature of the campaign, recalling past international efforts. "The U.S. has organized armed coalitions on several occasions since the Cold War," he said. "In Kuwait, in northern Iraq, in Somalia, Bosnia and Kosovo, the U.S. took action on behalf of Muslim populations against invaders and oppressive regimes" (Christopher Parkes, Financial Times, Oct. 8).
"We don't want revenge," U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair told Qatari television station al-Jazeera. "We do want justice and, of course, if the Taliban regime in Afghanistan had yielded [suspected terrorist mastermind] Osama bin Laden up and his network of terrorists, then they could have stood justice. But that is not what happened" (10 Downing Street release, Oct. 9). For Blair's statements to Parliament Sunday and yesterday, click here and here.
New U.S. strikes began before dawn today, reportedly targeting Kabul, the Taliban home base of Kandahar and the western city of Herat. CNN reports that Jalalabad airport, struck last night, continued to burn today. Sunday's strikes hit 31 targets, and no U.S. planes were shot down, according to U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers, who contradicted Taliban claims of bringing down allied aircraft.
The U.S. Defense Department was still assessing Sunday's strikes today, but sources said yesterday that Kandahar has suffered both damage and casualties (CNN.com, Oct. 8). The U.S. FBI and State Department have warned new terror attacks could occur "somewhere in the world" following the strikes (Brune/Lane, Sydney Morning Herald, Oct. 9).
At an emergency meeting yesterday, the Taliban decided to fight back and not to hand over bin Laden. "We will fight the Americans the way we fought the Russians," a spokesman said, referring to the 1979-89 Soviet occupation of the country. Taliban Deputy Chairman Mohamed Hasan added, "The U.S. cannot tolerate a pure Islamic government. It wants to eradicate Islamic conviction" (Kuala Lumpur Star, Oct. 9).
"There is America, hit by God in one of its softest spots," bin Laden said of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States in a videotape released after Sunday's strikes began. "Its greatest buildings were destroyed; thank God for that. There is America, full of fear from its north to its south, from its west to its east. Thank God for that." The Saudi fugitive cited Israeli violence against Palestinians, the atom bombs dropped on Japan during World War II and Iraq policy as examples of U.S. injustice and violence (Associated Press/Washington Post, Oct. 8).
Bush believes bin Laden on the recording "virtually took responsibility" for the Sept. 11 attacks, spokesman Ari Fleischer said yesterday, adding that the president sees the growing global anti-terror campaign as "much bigger than any one person" (CNN.com II, Oct. 8). The Washington Post reports that U.S. officials believe bin Laden is still in Afghanistan (Pincus/Graham, Washington Post, Oct. 9).
Mohamad Yusufi, a New York imam, recently told former Taliban U.N. envoy Abdul Hakeem Mujahid to "tell [Taliban Supreme Leader] Mullah [Mohamed] Omar that the situation is very dangerous, and we don't like Osama bin Laden," the Baltimore Sun reported Sunday. Yusufi said he told Mujahid, "Mullah Omar must tell Osama bin Laden to get out of Afghanistan" (Dan Mihalopoulos, Baltimore Sun, Oct. 7).
Intimate bin Laden aide Mohamed Atef has been identified as a key planner of the attacks by U.S. and U.K. intelligence, U.S. sources said. The United States has placed a $5 million bounty on Atef (Eggen/Kovaleski, Washington Post, Oct. 7).
The opposition Northern Alliance, the military wing of the deposed Afghan government that is recognized by the United Nations, last night said it was bombing Taliban positions in Mazar-e-Sharif in conjunction with the U.S. strikes. Military installations, an airport and "other centers of power" were being targeted, a spokesman said (AFP/Liberation, Oct. 8, UN Wire translation).
Opposition leaders said yesterday that, although they had made few gains themselves, the U.S.-U.K. strikes have seriously damaged Taliban defenses. They cautioned, however, that "bombing is not effective against the Taliban. Soldiers and the Northern Alliance are effective" (Peter Baker, Washington Post, Oct. 9).
Northern Alliance Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah told CNN Sunday that "the international community should support the people of Afghanistan to achieve its final goal, which is giving the people of Afghanistan the right of self-determination" (CNN.com, Oct. 7).
For a CNN interview with Haron Amin, a spokesman at the Afghan U.N. mission, click here.
Former Afghan King Zahir Shah, who was deposed in 1973, said Sunday that the United States has a "legitimate right" to pursue the perpetrators of the terror attacks but should be careful not to harm innocent Afghans. "Unfortunately, the unpatriotic position of the Taliban and their sponsors has again inflicted pain, sorrow and destruction on the people of Afghanistan," he said (Nicole Winfield, AP/Nando Times, Oct. 7).
The U.S. radio service Voice of America is increasing by 30 minutes per day its broadcasts into Afghanistan to explain the U.S. position, Voice of America officials said Sunday. The service will now broadcast two hours and 15 minutes daily of news and commentary in Pashto and Dari (Ellen Nakashima, Washington Post, Oct. 8).
NATO was expected today to announce it will contribute ships and planes to the U.S.-led effort (Elliot Smith, USA Today, Oct. 9). For yesterday's statement by NATO Secretary General George Robertson expressing his organization's "full support for the actions of the United States and the United Kingdom," click here.
French "personnel specialized in intelligence" are already inside Afghanistan, French Defense Minister Alain Richard said yesterday (Philippe Mathon, TF1.fr, Oct. 8, UN Wire translation).
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is to travel to India and Pakistan this week in a bid to aid stability in the region during the campaign (Koppel/Labott, CNN.com, Oct. 8). The Pakistani military has set up bunkers in Islamabad, the capital, after violent protests followed the beginning of the U.S.-led operation in neighboring Afghanistan. U.N. officials said Pakistan is pledging strict security measures following the burning by protesters of a UNICEF office in Quetta yesterday (Reuters/RealCities.com, Oct. 9).
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf dismissed three hard-line generals just before Sunday's strikes, the London Telegraph reports (Ahmed Rashid, London Telegraph, Oct. 9). Musharraf has remained firm in his support for U.S. action, but cautioned that "the Northern Alliance must not draw mileage out of this action, and the post-action has to be balanced" (CNN.com III, Oct. 8). A senior Pakistani official said Islamabad will support efforts to create a new government under the deposed king despite "doubts over this plan" (Farhan Bokhari, Financial Times, Oct. 8).
Countries' responses to the U.S.-led military campaign have varied. The European Union, Japan, Russia, Pakistan, Israel and Australia were among the first to express support for the action, while Iraq, Iran and Malaysia condemned the strikes. Syria, through a state-run newspaper, said Israeli troops are also terrorists, while Jordan cautioned that innocent Afghans must be protected.
China offered limited support, calling on the United States to bear in mind U.N. resolutions and expressing hope that peace come "as soon as possible" (CNN.com IV, Oct. 8). Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited China yesterday, partly to ease concerns about a planned Japanese military role in the campaign (Philip Pan, Washington Post, Oct. 9). Meanwhile, Beijing closed the Chinese-Afghan border (AFP/La Tribune, Oct. 9, UN Wire translation).
The Palestinian Authority has tried to distance itself from bin Laden, who championed the Palestinian cause in his videotaped remarks, AP reports. "We don't want crimes committed in the name of Palestine," Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said (Steve Weizman, AP/Nando Times, Oct. 8).
For a survey of Muslim countries' reactions from USA Today, click here, here, here, here and here.
"The world faces another war," North Korea's Foreign Ministry said today, adding that Washington's policy toward it is hostile (Reuters/South China Morning Post, Oct. 9). Vietnam, through an official newspaper, called for an "immediate halt to this war" (AFP, Oct. 8). Sudan also condemned the strikes. "Although we consider the American assurances of respect for Islam a nice gesture, we consider that this act of war targets an Islamic territory and a Muslim people," the country said in a statement (AFP/Cyberpresse.ca, Oct. 9, UN Wire translation).
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder left Berlin today for the United States, where he will meet with Bush and Annan. Schroeder said he will express "solidarity without restriction" to Bush (AFP II/La Tribune, Oct. 9, UN Wire translation).
The World Council of Churches called today for an end to the strikes, while Amnesty International called for respect for the rules of war, including the protection of civilians and prisoners.
The U.N. General Assembly Friday wrapped up a special weeklong debate on terrorism. For highlights from Friday morning from the United Nations, click here. For Friday afternoon, click here.
Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge was sworn in yesterday as the new head of the Office of Homeland Security (see GSN, Sept. 21). Questions have been raised, however, over the scope of his new position and what powers he will have. “What is homeland defense? Everyone’s in favor of it but how will we recognize it when we have it?” asked John Pike, head of Globalsecurity.org. “Where does homeland defense leave off and law enforcement begin? His biggest challenge is going to be defining homeland defense broadly enough to actually accomplish something” (Simon/Piller, Los Angeles Times, Oct. 8).
President George W. Bush’s executive order creating the Office of Homeland Security outlines its mission as developing and coordinating a national strategy to secure the United States from terrorist acts. The order details the powers Ridge will have to accomplish this, including identifying priorities for the gathering and analysis of information on terrorism and reviewing federal agencies’ budgets for antiterrorism efforts. The order also creates a Homeland Security Council consisting of the president, vice-president, secretaries of the treasury, defense, transportation, and health and human services, the attorney general and the directors of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FBI and CIA (White House release, Oct. 8).
Ridge’s new office has a $25 million start-up budget and a staff of about 100, mainly from other agencies. It also shares a corridor in the West Wing with the Oval Office, giving Ridge proximity to the president. Legislators worry, however, if this close proximity will be a good enough substitute for the legislative authority to compel U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to change his budget or CIA Director George Tenet to refocus his intelligence efforts, according to the New York Times. “We must be task-oriented,” Ridge said during his swearing-in ceremony. “The only turf we should be worried about protecting is the turf we stand on” (Becker/Sciolino, New York Times, Oct. 9).
While Ridge may have the power to oversee and advise federal agencies’ antiterrorism budgets, some experts fear that he may have little real authority, citing the example of former drug czar Barry McCaffrey. In one incident, McCaffrey refused to certify the Pentagon’s budget over a dispute on funding for antidrug efforts, which set off an embarrassing public spat with then-U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The executive order also does little to say how Ridge could compel the CIA to cooperate on intelligence efforts, or how disputes over intelligence priorities would be resolved, according to the Wall Street Journal. Legislators have criticized Bush for creating the position through executive order, rather than by legislation, which would have given Ridge formal budgetary authority and a greater stature in the Cabinet.
“The problem is that Ridge has no carrots or sticks,” said Paul Light, a political scientist at the Brookings Institution. “The only authority Tom Ridge has in the executive branch is the authority to tell the president that no one is listening, and he needs much more than that,” Light said (Yochi Dreazen, Wall Street Journal, Oct. 8).
The FBI yesterday ordered law enforcement agencies to be on the highest level of alert over concerns of possible terrorist retaliation for the weekend’s air strikes against Afghanistan. “We are taking strong precautions and other appropriate steps to protect the American people while we win this war,” said U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft yesterday at a press conference.
Nuclear facilities have been placed on the highest state of alert, physical security has been increased and employees and those with access to facilities are being thoroughly screened (see GSN, Oct. 5), according to Ashcroft. Similar measures are being taken by the Environmental Protection Agency at industrial chemical and petrochemical facilities. The Federal Aviation Agency will also continue flight restrictions around populated areas, sporting events and critical industry infrastructure, Ashcroft said (Federal News Service transcript, Oct. 8).
There is a two-pronged effort to protect U.S. installations. One, involving law enforcement, is headed by Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson. The other, preparing for the consequences of any possible reprisals, is headed by Michael Brown, general counsel of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Security at the F.E. Warren Base in Wyoming, where 200 nuclear missiles are controlled, was increased to Force Protection Charlie, which means a terrorist attack is imminent. The U.S. Energy Department has gone to a heightened level of security at all sites, said spokeswoman Jeanne Lopatto. After the Sept. 11 attacks, DOE has stopped all shipments of radioactive waste. The ban was lifted a few days ago (see GSN, Sept, 28), but Lopatto said she was unsure if it had been reinstated.
The EPA has also worked to safeguard the U.S. water supply, advising 168,000 public water systems on how to improve security and monitor water against contamination. Security has been increased at public health resources, such as stockpiles of medicines and vaccines (see GSN, Oct. 4). Additional security has been placed at the Boston offices of Acambis, the designated producer of smallpox vaccine for civilians, and at the Pennsylvania stockpile of smallpox vaccine, according to a Health and Human Services Department official (Pear/Miller, New York Times, Oct. 8).
“People ought to be alert,” Ashcroft said, but should not radically alter their lives around fears of terrorism. “My nephew happened to be the person kicking off for Air Force against Navy in the football game this last weekend, and I went to watch to watch my nephew … So I do not think Americans should avoid sporting events or should avoid undertaking their lives in a way which is appropriate to American freedom,” Ashcroft said (Federal News Service, Oct. 8).
U.S. lawmakers are working to overcome disagreements over antiterrorism legislation that grants new powers to law enforcement agencies to empower investigations into terrorism. There are significant differences between the proposals offered by President George W. Bush and the bills submitted in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Bush administration asked Congress to grant the U.S. attorney general the right to detain indefinitely an immigrant suspected of terrorism. The current House and Senate bills grant the attorney general the power to hold immigrants for up to seven days without filing charges.
The Bush administration also asked for permission for police to track e-mail and web surfing with approval from a judge if police say a person’s internet activity is related to an investigation. The current House and Senate bills allow police only to gather data that shows information such as the names of e-mail sender and recipient, not the content of the communications, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The administration wanted to allow police to share grand jury information with U.S. intelligence agencies (see GSN, Oct. 3). The House bill requires court approval of such information sharing and restricts it to U.S. law, defense, immigration and intelligence officers or to the president and vice president. The current Senate bill allows authorities to provide grand jury information only to foreign intelligence or counterintelligence material and allows officials to share information only on a need-to-know basis.
The Senate has so far rejected the administration’s request allow Justice Department and Treasury Department officials to provide tax information to intelligence officials. The current House bill would permit the Internal Revenue Service to give tax information to agents investigating terrorism.
The House bill currently rejects the Justice Department’s request to allow police to search a person’s home with a warrant but not tell the resident for weeks or months. The current Senate bill allows police to delay notification only when it could hinder an investigation.
The current Senate bill provides more law enforcement powers than the House bill, according to the Wall Street Journal. Authors of the House bill viewed extra powers as emergency measures that could be extended beyond 2003 if a serious threat still existed. The Senate version, however, presumes the terrorist threat is permanent and requires a shift of powers to law enforcement (Bravin/Bridis, Wall Street Journal, Oct. 8).
French investigators are closely examining the remains of a warehouse that once held 300 tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer to learn whether a large chemical plant explosion in Toulouse last month was accidental (see GSN, Oct. 5).
The Sept. 29 blast killed 29 people and injured 3,000, 72 of which remain hospitalized. Several dozen schools, a university and a nearby hospital that were damaged by the explosion have not reopened.
The investigation is being conducted by three groups, including the judicial police, the Ministry of the Environment and the plant’s owner, TotalFinaElf oil and chemical group. All agree that the blast most likely occurred in the stores of ammonium nitrate, but they have not determined what ignited the fertilizer.
The mayor of Toulouse has shut down two nearby chemical facilities that use dangerous materials, such as phosgene gas and gunpowder, until new safety inspections have been concluded (Marlise Simons, New York Times, Oct. 7).
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