The evidence linking Osama Bin Laden and his terrorist
organisation to the
attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon is "clear and
compelling",
Nato Secretary-General Lord Robertson said today.
After the most detailed briefing yet from America on the
investigation into
the September 11 atrocity, he said the Alliance was now formally
invoking for
the first time its Treaty Article 5 which states that "an armed
attack on one
or more of the Allies in Europe or North America shall be
considered an
attack against them all."
Nato made the unprecedented decision to invoke the Article the
day after the
attacks - but only on condition that was demonstrated that the
assault came
from another territory.
After talks at Nato headquarters in Brussels with Washington's
counter-terrorism chief Frank Taylor, Lord Robertson said: "On
the basis of
this briefing, it has now been determined that the attack
against the United
States was directed from abroad and shall therefore be regarded
as an action
covered by Article 5".
Mr Taylor, the US State Department Coordinator for
Counter-terrorism, took
Lord Robertson through details of the US case linking the
attacks to Bin
Laden and the Al-Qaida organisation, and setting out exactly how
the
terrorists are being protected by the Taliban.
Mr Taylor explained the course of the inquiry so far, and what
is known of
Al-Qaida's involvement in previous terrorist attacks, as well as
those on
September 11.
Lord Roberston told reporters afterwards that the contents of
the meeting
were classified, but he went on: "The facts are clear and
compelling. The
information presented points conclusively to an Al-Qaida role in
the
September 11 attacks.
"We know that the individuals who carried out these attacks were
part of the
world-wide terrorist network of Al-Qaida, headed by Osama bin
Laden and his
key lieutenants and protected by the Taliban."
Lord Robertson added: "I want to reiterate that the USA can rely
on the full
support of its 18 Nato Allies in the campaign against
terrorism."
America made no specific requests for military or intelligence
support today,
and the likelihood remains that there will be a limited role
only for just a
few of the Nato allies - possibly just Britain and France - in
any US-lead
operation.
The 15 EU member states have already produced a
tougher-than-expected
declaration agreeing that US military action against terrorists
is
"legitimate" and that all EU countries will all play a role if
required,
"each according to its means".
But it remains unclear to what extent such support, either
through the EU or
Nato, will be requested by Washington.
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