[iwar] [fc:White.House.Dismisses.Threat.as.'Propaganda']

From: Fred Cohen (fc@all.net)
Date: 2001-10-13 21:18:10

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From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net>
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Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2001 21:18:10 -0700 (PDT)
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Subject: [iwar] [fc:White.House.Dismisses.Threat.as.'Propaganda']
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Saturday October 13 9:08 PM ET

White House Dismisses Threat as 'Propaganda'
By Adam Entous

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Saturday dismissed as
``propaganda'' the latest threat by Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network
to hit U.S.  and British interests, and said steps were being taken to
protect Americans at home and abroad. 

``The White House sees it as just more propaganda,'' White House
spokeswoman Jennifer Millerwise said of a taped statement in which al
Qaeda vowed to retaliate for U.S.-led strikes against Afghanistan. 

Broadcast on Qatar's al-Jazeera television network, the statement by al
Qaeda spokesman Sulaiman Bu Ghaith also warned Americans and Britons,
especially Muslims, children and ``all those who oppose U.S.  policy,''
not to ``ride planes or live in high buildings.''

The al Qaeda statement also drew a swift reaction from the British
government. 

``This latest statement is a clear admission of responsibility for the
terrorist attacks in the U.S.  of 11 September,'' a statement from the
office of British Prime Minister Tony Blair said. 

``It can leave no one in any doubt of Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda's
intention to continue to conduct, incite and support acts of terrorism. 
This is why we are determined to bring bin Laden, his al Qaeda network
and those who support and harbor them to account.''

Earlier on Saturday President Bush said the U.S.  government was taking
``strong precautions'' to safeguard Americans against terror attacks by
bin Laden and other militants.  The FBI has warned that more attacks are
possible in the coming days. 

The al Qaeda statement was broadcast on the seventh day of the U.S.-led
military response to the Sept.  11 hijacking of four commercial planes
that slammed into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and a
Pennsylvania field.  The United States accuses bin Laden and al Qaeda of
masterminding the attack, which killed nearly 5,500 people. 

Earlier, the Pentagon confirmed that a U.S.  bomb missed a Taliban
military target at Kabul airport and instead hit civilian houses a mile
(1.6 km) away.  It expressed regret at the loss of any civilian life
saying U.S.  forces ``take great care in their targeting process to
avoid civilian casualties.''

DELAYED BROADCAST

CNN and other major U.S.  television networks delayed broadcast of the
al Qaeda statement, and instead used excerpts, in accordance with a
request by the Bush administration.  White House officials told media
organizations that the group's statements might contain coded messages
to bin Laden's followers to carry out fresh attacks on U.S.  targets. 

In his weekly radio address, Bush declared the first phase of the
military campaign against bin Laden a success, saying a week of bombing
had disrupted ``the terrorist network inside Afghanistan.''

``American forces dominate the skies over Afghanistan and we will use
that dominance to make sure terrorists can no longer freely use
Afghanistan as a base of operations,'' Bush said. 

``Our men and women in uniform are performing as they always do, with
skill and courage.  And they have achieved the goals of the first phase
of our campaign,'' he added. 

The president also sought to reassure Americans, unnerved by the
discovery of several cases of anthrax. 

``I understand that many Americans are feeling uneasy,'' Bush said. 
``But all Americans should be assured: We are taking strong precautions,
we are vigilant, we are determined, the country is alert, and the great
power of the American nation will be felt.''

The comments came one day after officials announced that an employee of
NBC News in New York had tested positive for skin anthrax, the fourth
confirmed exposure since the Sept.  11 hijack attacks. 

MAILED FROM MALAYSIA

Anthrax has also been discovered in an envelope mailed from Malaysia to
a Reno, Nevada branch of software giant Microsoft Corp., Nevada state
officials said on Saturday. 

While none of the anthrax cases has been tied to bin Laden, Vice
President Dick Cheney said on Friday there could be links adding that
the United States had ample evidence that bin Laden's followers had been
trained in how to spread biological and chemical weapons. 

Bush has told Americans they should be prepared for a ``war on
terrorism'' that could last months if not years. 

``Our enemy ...  hides from our soldiers,'' he said in his radio
address.  ``But we're making a determined effort to take away his hiding
places.''

``The best defense against terrorism is a strong offensive against
terrorists.  That work continues,'' he added. 

While the president did not spell out what the next phase of the U.S. 
campaign would be, defense officials have said the military is preparing
to use helicopters to hunt down guerrillas allied with bin Laden and
Afghanistan's Taliban rulers. 

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