Retaliation: U.N. Security Council targets terror

SUMMARY:

The United Nations Security Council, in a unanimous 15-0 vote, approved a U.S.-sponsored resolution that would freeze the financial assets of suspected terrorists and expand the power of the U.N. to fight terrorism.

President Bush is providing $50 million in new economic assistance to Pakistan and is making $25 million available to help refugees who are fleeing Afghanistan amid fears of a U.S.-led attack on the country.

UPDATE:

The new U.N. anti-terrorism resolution requires all countries to deny safe haven to anyone financing or committing a terrorist act, and criminalizes the financing of such attacks. (Full story)

In providing the $50 million to Pakistan, Bush said the move is "important to the security interests of the United States." He said the $25 million in Afghan refugee aid was in the "national interest" of the United States. (Full story)

The Pentagon and the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan are denying a report Saturday by Arabic language Al-Jazeera TV that three American commandos and two Afghans assisting them were captured in Afghanistan on a special operations force reconnaissance mission. A Pentagon official said there is no evidence that lends credence to the story and is convinced there's nothing to the report. He added the Pentagon is no longer investigating the facts and it believes the report not to be true.

U.S. and British special forces have conducted operations in Afghanistan and the Central Asian region, a senior U.S. official told CNN on Friday. CNN Senior White House Correspondent John King reported that a senior U.S. official said the operations took place "in the region" and "in country," meaning Afghanistan. A senior member of Congress, who has been briefed on the operations, confirmed to CNN that special forces have been sent "in and out" of Afghanistan for the purpose of reconnaissance. (Full story)

A Pakistani diplomatic delegation headed home from Afghanistan after leaders of the ruling Taliban refused new appeals to hand over bin Laden. The Taliban also refused to free eight international aid workers accused of trying to spread Christianity in Afghanistan, where the Taliban have imposed a severe Islamic regime since they seized power five years ago. (Full story)

Mexico is willing to go "all the way" to help the United States in its war on terrorism by supplying oil, preventing movement of terrorists' money and keeping them from crossing the U.S.-Mexican border, President Vicente Fox said Friday. (Full story )

In Washington, President Bush met Friday with King Abdullah II of Jordan in an effort to strengthen an international coalition against terrorism. Abdullah is the first Arab head of state to visit the White House since the September 11 attacks. "The majority of Arabs and Muslims will band together with our colleagues all over the world to be able to put an end to this horrible scourge of international terrorism," Abdullah said. "You'll see a united front." (Full story)

KEY QUESTIONS:

Whom will the United States retaliate against?



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

What form will the retaliation take? Click here for more.

Will the retaliation include an immediate response and a long-term plan to root out terrorists?

What countries have joined the U.S. anti-terror coalition? Click here for more

Is the United States willing to violate the sovereignty of other nations to get at terrorist networks?

How will retaliation affect Americans at home and abroad?

Will NATO play a role? Click here for more

Will this crisis lead to a new role in U.S.-Russia relations? Click here for more

WHO'S WHO:

George W. Bush: U.S. president

Osama bin Laden: A wealthy Saudi expatriate living in Afghanistan who U.S. authorities cite as one of the primary suspects in masterminding the attacks. Click here for more.

Colin Powell: U.S. secretary of state. A former Army general, Powell also served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Click here for more. Click here for more.

Condoleezza Rice: U.S. national security adviser. Click here for more.

Gen. Richard B. Myers: chairman-designate of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. Click here for more.


Saudi exile Osama bin Laden is considered a prime suspect in the September 11 attacks.

Donald Rumsfeld: U.S. secretary of defense. Click here for more.

George Tenet: CIA director. Click here for more.

Lt. Gen. Michael V. Hayden: Director of the U.S. National Security Agency, responsible for gathering intelligence on terrorist cells.

Gen. Pervez Musharraf: The military ruler of Pakistan. Click here for more.

Mullah Mohammed Omar: The Muslim cleric who leads Afghanistan's ruling Taliban. Taliban officials say they have played host to bin Laden but do not allow him to engage in terrorist activities. Click here for more.

Northern Alliance: A group of former mujahedeen fighters, mainly from minority ethnic groups, that oppose the Taliban. The group controls about five percent of northern Afghanistan. Click here for more

IMPACT:

The attacks on the nation's landmarks of power and security signal the start of a protracted battle on terrorism that could permanently alter core U.S. military and diplomatic strategies.