Posted on 09/12/2001 8:09:14 AM PDT by Schnucki
Tony Blair is holding urgent telephone talks with President George W Bush following the terrorist attacks on the U.S.
Earlier, Blair announced that Parliament will reconvene on Friday to help determine the country's next steps, both political and military. He declined to speculate on what sort of help the UK might offer the US in seeking retaliation for the attacks. "But be under no doubt at all, we stand with the USA in this matter," he said.
Earlier today, five suspects were identified as responsible for carrying out the attacks on America yesterday. The men have ties to terrorist leader Osmana bin Laden. In an address to Americans late Tuesday, Bush promised to strike back, making "no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts -- and those who habour them."
Meanwhile, recovery continues in New York as a handful of survivors are pulled from the wreckage. There are reports a fireman has survived after tumbling down 83 floors.
BRITISH INTELLIGENCE 'BELIEVES IT WAS BIN LADEN'
The British, German, French and Israeli secret services view Osama bin Laden as the prime suspect behind the attacks on the US. A senior German government official says he expects the US to retaliate. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's chief of staff said the four intelligence services were all agreed. "The way it was carried out, the choice of targets, the military approach, the highly professional preparation and the presumably large financial resources ... mean there are many points that indicate we should look for the perpetrators among those around Osama bin Laden," said Frank-Walter Steinmeier. "I expect that the United States will not leave these attacks unanswered," he added. US investigators believe the hijackers were trained pilots and three to five hijackers were aboard each of four airliners. "Everything is pointing in the direction of Osama bin Laden," said Senator Orrin Hatch, the top Republican on the Senate judiciary committee. A list of passengers from one of the ill-fated flights included the name of a suspected bin Laden supporter, he confirmed. He also said US intelligence intercepted communications between bin Laden supporters discussing the attacks
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