LONDON - British Prime Minister Tony Blair publicly disclosed details yesterday of evidence against Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida terrorist network and said they had "planned and carried out" the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.
In a terse statement read before a hushed House of Commons called into emergency session, Blair outlined parts of the investigation and warned Afghanistan's Taliban regime to give up bin Laden and his organization or "become our enemy also."
Blair said, "The attacks on 11 September bear all the hallmarks of a bin Laden operation: meticulous long-term planning; a desire to inflict mass casualties; a total disregard for innocent lives, including Muslims; multiple simultaneous attacks; and the use of suicide attackers."
Since the beginning of the crisis, Blair has emerged as the most forceful international supporter of the United States in helping to build a world coalition against terrorism. Up to 200 Britons were killed when the World Trade Center was toppled. Thousands of British troops are assembled for a long-planned military exercise in Oman, and some could be called upon to join U.S. forces in expected retaliatory strikes against Afghanistan.
In recent days, Blair has provided the rhetoric, and now some of the evidence, to solidify the coalition and lay the groundwork for strikes.
Blair said three of the 19 suspected hijackers have been identified as "known associates" of bin Laden, but did not name them. One was identified as "playing key roles" in the bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, in which 224 people were killed and thousands injured, and last year's assault on the USS Cole, which left 18 dead.
Blair said intelligence reports indicate that shortly before last month's attacks, bin Laden "told associates that he had a major operation against America under preparation." Blair said "a range of people were warned to return to Afghanistan because of action on or around 11 September." He added that "one of bin Laden's closest lieutenants has said clearly that he helped with the planning of the 11 September attacks and has admitted the involvement of the al-Qaida organization."
Blair said bin Laden provides his Taliban hosts "with troops, arms and money to fight the Northern Alliance," and is "closely involved with the Taliban's military training, planning and operations," including having representatives in the Taliban's military command structure.
