COMPLETE COVERAGE | FRONT LINES | AMERICA AT HOME | INTERACTIVES »

Investigators say British troops shot without provocation

SUMMARY:

An Afghan police commander said Wednesday that British paratroopers serving with the international security force in Kabul, Afghanistan, were not fired upon before they shot at a convoy of vehicles last weekend, killing an Afghan man.

That is consistent with accounts given by eyewitnesses, but contradicts statements made by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which said the British troops fired only after being fired upon.

ISAF officials said the matter is still under investigation. (Full story)

In other developments, families of victims of the September 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center have filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of all those killed.

UPDATE:

Summary Update Key questions Who's who  CNN.COM SPECIAL REPORT  CNN NewsPass Video  Agencies reportedly got hijack tips in 1998  MORE STORIES Intelligence intercept led to Buffalo suspects Report cites warnings before 9/11  EXTRA INFORMATION Timeline: Who Knew What and When? Interactive: Terror Investigation Terror Warnings System Most wanted terrorists What looks suspicious? In-Depth: America Remembers In-Depth: Terror on Tape In-Depth: How prepared is your city?  RESOURCES On the Scene: Barbara Starr: Al Qaeda hunt expands? On the Scene: Peter Bergen: Getting al Qaeda to talk

The families' lawsuit names Osama bin Laden, his al Qaeda organization and the Taliban among the defendants. It seeks damages sufficient to ensure the terrorists never have enough money to commit such acts again -- more than $1 billion for compensatory damages, and punitive damages in excess of $100 billion. (Full story)

Before U.S. forces leave Afghanistan, the nation needs to form an army, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman said Wednesday. Air Force Gen. Richard Myers made the comments in Kandahar, his last stop on a five-day regional visit to meet with national leaders, military commanders and troops. (Full story)

U.S. officials said Wednesday a February 4 airstrike in Afghanistan killed at least one person connected to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda, and those attacked were not peasants. (Full story)

Police in Rome, Italy, told U.S. officials Wednesday that there may have been a security threat against the U.S. Embassy, according to an embassy spokesman. This development comes after Italian police arrested four Moroccan nationals in Rome on Tuesday and found a map of Rome with the location of the embassy circled. (Full story)

After questioning 31 passengers en route to Yemen from New York about their visas and other documents, the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force found nothing suspicious and released them, a Transportation Security Administration official said Wednesday. (Full story)

Lawyers acting on behalf of an Australian al Qaeda fighter being held by the U.S. military at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have filed a motion demanding access to their client. The motion, filed in U.S. Federal Court in Washington, names President George W. Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as respondents. (Full story)

Legal maneuvering continued Wednesday in the Philippines over the presence of U.S. troops participating in war games with Philippine soldiers. (Full story)

The Pentagon has established a new Office of Strategic Influence for "the hearts and minds of the opposition" in the war on terrorism, a Defense Department official said Tuesday. (Full story)

KEY QUESTION:

Did British paratroopers serving with the international security force in Afghanistan fire on a convoy with provocation?

WHO'S WHO:

Osama bin Laden: A wealthy Saudi expatriate living in Afghanistan whom U.S. authorities cite as the prime mastermind behind terror attacks.