Investigation: New arrests in Britain

SUMMARY:

Arrests and detentions continued across Europe, including a number of people in Britain, in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

A man whose name was found in a car registered to one of the suspected hijackers in the September 11 terrorist attacks is being held on unrelated charges in a U.S. court, according to a federal affidavit.

The FBI began a massive nationwide records check on all truck drivers licensed to carry hazardous materials.

UPDATE:

In Virginia, Mohamed Abdi was detained pending a formal indictment after appearing at a federal court hearing on forgery charges. His indictment is expected within a month.(Full Story)

According to an affidavit, FBI agents found a road map of Washington with the name "Mohumed" and a Virginia phone number that belonged to Abdi. The map was found in a car registered to a suspected hijacker identified as Nawaq al-Hamzi at Dulles International Airport the day after the September 11 attacks.

In Spain, police arrested six suspected associates of Osama bin Laden, the man Washington blames for the U.S. hijack attacks. (Full Story)

Ten people were detained in Britain under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. In Leicester, England, police arrested three people under anti-terrorism laws. French authorities say one is a French citizen of North African ancestry wanted by authorities in connection with planned attacks on U.S. interests in France.

Meanwhile, the records check by the FBI came after Attorney General John Ashcroft said "several individuals" who may have links to the hijackers implicated in this month's terrorist attacks had sought or held licenses to transport hazardous materials. (Full Story)

•  Summary   •  Update   •  Key questions   •  Who's who   •  Impact

KEY QUESTIONS:

How viable are fears about more terrorist attacks?Click here for more.

How will the expansion of law enforcement powers affect Americans' civil liberties?Click here for more.

How are people identified as terrorists communicating with each other? Click here for more.

How are law enforcement authorities using technology such as encryption tools to hunt terrorists? Click here for more.

What groups are U.S. investigators focusing on, and what are their aims? Click here for more.

How would law enforcement authorities go after financial assets of people identified as terrorists? Click here for more.

How did the September 11 attackers evade U.S. intelligence? Click here for more.

WHO'S WHO:

George W. Bush: U.S. president

Colin Powell: U.S. secretary of state Click here for more.

Condoleezza Rice: National security adviser Click here for more.

John Ashcroft: U.S. attorney general

Robert Mueller: FBI director Click here for more.

George Tenet: CIA director. Click here for more.

Osama bin Laden: U.S. authorities have named bin Laden, a wealthy Saudi exile living in Afghanistan, as the prime suspect in masterminding the September 11 attacks. Click here for more

IMPACT:

Information gained from the investigation could lead to fundamental changes in U.S. security and intelligence systems, as well as surveillance laws.