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US mounts pressure on Pak to compel Taleban to hand over Osama

Dharam Shourie in New York

As investigators identified 50 people believed to be involved in Tuesday's terrorist strikes, the United States mounted pressure on Pakistan to compel its ally Taleban in Afghanistan to hand over Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden, widely suspected to be behind the attacks that left thousands killed.

CNN quoting FBI officials said 12 to 24 individuals could have been involved in the hijacking of the four aircraft used in the strikes at WTC and the Pentagon while as many as 50 others helped to execute the attacks.

Authorities believed that 27 suspected terrorists from the Middle East received various kinds of pilot training.

One of the hijacked planes had crashed in Pennsylvania. The hijackers commandeered the aircraft with knives and threat of bombs, the officials said.

With Laden emerging as the prime suspect, Washington stepped up pressure on Pakistan with its ambassador Wendy Chamberlin meeting President Pervez Musharraf within hours of Secretary of State Colin Powell declaring the US was 'looking for and expecting their (Islamabad) fullest cooperation and their help' in tracking down the perpetrators.

Pakistan ambassador to Washington Maleeha Lodhi was also summoned by US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage to discuss the development even as the US secured the support of NATO and other allies for any action against the suspects.

Musharraf discussed the emerging situation with key aides last night following which an official statement was issued in Islamabad in which he assured President George Bush of his 'unstinted cooperation' in the fight against terrorism.

In another development, Taleban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmad Muttawakel was quoted by AFP as saying that reports linking Laden to the terrorist attacks lack 'credibility'.

The Pakistan-backed Taleban regime on Wednesday night pleaded with the US not to attack Afghanistan and its leaders.

With the risk of further attacks 'significantly reduced', the US military downgraded its alert status.

However, a full reopening of the civil air space has been indefinitely delayed because of security fears raised by intelligence agencies, Transport Secretary Norman Mineta said.

The state department has warned Americans worldwide to remain vigilant and keep a low profile.

Meanwhile, rescue operations to pull out survivors and bodies from the debris of the World Trade Centre smashed by two hijacked aircraft were hampered after the lower seven floors of the 110 storey skyscraper also collapsed late on Wednesday night.

So far, 82 bodies have been recovered and five survivors rescued, according to New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

PTI

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