Tony Blair's Speech

Mr Speaker, since September 11 intensive
efforts have taken place here and
elsewhere to investigate these attacks and
determine who is responsible. Our findings
have been shared and co-ordinated with
those of our allies and they are clear. They
are first, that it was Osama bin Laden and
the Al-Qaeda, the terrorist network which
he heads, that planned and carried out the
atrocities on September 11.

Secondly, that Osama bin Laden and
al-Qaeda were able to commit these
atrocities because of their close alliance
with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan,
which allows them to operate with
impunity in pursuing their terrorist activity.

Mr Speaker, I will later today put in the library of the House of Commons a
document detailing the basis for our conclusions. The document covers th e history
of Osama bin Laden, his relations with the Taliban, what we know of the acts of
terror he has committed and some of what we know in respect of September 11.

I enter a major caveat, however. Much of the
evidence we have is intelligence and highly
sensitive. It is not possible without compromising
people or security to release precise details and
fresh information is daily coming in. But I hope the
House will find it at least useful as an interim
assessment. The Leader of the Opposition and the
Leader of the Liberal Democrats have seen the full
basis of the document on Privy Council terms.

For myself and all other Government ministers
who have studied the full information we have
absolutely no doubt that bin Laden and his network
were responsible for attacks on September 11. That
was also the unanimous view of the NATO
members who were taken through the full facts on
the October 2.

Much more of the evidence in respect of earlier
atrocities can be released in greater detail since it is
already subject to court proceedings. This, in itself,
is powerful. Indeed, there is nothing hidden about
bin Laden's agenda. He openly espouses the
language of terror, has described terrorising
Americans as "the religious and logical obligation"
and in February 1998 signed a fatwa stating that
"the killing of Americans and its civilian and military
allies is a religious duty."

As our document shows he has been responsible
for a number of terrorist outrages over the past
decade. The attack in 1993 on U.S. military
personnel serving in Somalia, 18 of whom were
killed, in 1998 the bombings of the U.S. embassies
in Kenya and Tanzania -- 224 people were killed and
over 4,500 injured -- attempted bombings in Jordan
and Los Angeles at the turn of the Millennium,
thankfully thwarted, the attack on the USS Cole
nearly a year ago, which left 17 crew members
killed and 40 injured.

The attacks on September 11 bear all the hallmark
of a Bin Laden operation: meticulous long term
planning, a desire to inflict mass casualties, a total
disregard for civilian lives, including Muslims,
multiple simultaneous attacks, and the use of
suicide attackers. I can now confirm that of the 19
hijackers identified from the passenger lists of the
four planes hijacked in America on September 11,
at least three of these hijackers have already been
positively identified as known associates of bin
Laden, with a track record in his camps and
organisation. The others are being investigated still.
Of the three, one has also been identified as playing
key roles in both the east Africa embassy attacks
and the USS Cole attack.

Since the attacks we have obtained the following
intelligence. Shortly before the September 11 bin
Laden told associates that he had a major operation
against America under preparation, a range of people were warned to return back to
Afghanistan because of action on or around September 11, and, most importantly,
one of bin Laden's closest lieutenants has said clearly that he helped with the
planning of the September 11 attacks and admitted the involvement of the al Qaida
organisation.

There is other intelligence, we cannot disclose, of an even more direct nature
indicating guilt.

The closeness of bin Laden's relationship with the Taliban is also plain. He
provides them with troops, arms and money to fight the Northern Alliance, is
closely involved with their military training, planning and operations, he is
represented in their military command structure. Forces under the control of bin
Laden have fought alongside the Taliban in the civil war in Afghanistan. For its part,
the Taliban regime has provided bin Laden with a safe haven within which to
operate and allowed him to establish terrorist training camps. They jointly exploit
the Afghan drugs trade. In return for active al Qaida support, the Taliban allow al
Qaida to operate freely including the planning, training and preparing for terrorist
activities. In addition, they provide security for the stockpiles of drugs.

Mr Speaker, in the face of this evidence
our objectives are clear. We must bring bin
Laden and other al Qaida leaders to justice
and eliminate the terrorist threat they pose
and we must ensure that Afghanistan
ceases to harbour and sustain international
terrorism. If the Taliban regime will not
comply with that objective we must bring
about change in that regime to ensure that
Afghanistan's links with international
terrorism are broken.

Since the House last met, we have been
working ceaselessly on the diplomatic,
humanitarian and military fronts.

I can confirm that we have had initial discussions with the United States about a
range of military capabilities with which Britain can help and have already
responded positively to this. We will consider carefully any further requests and
keep the House informed as appropriate, about such requests. For obvious reasons
I cannot disclose the exact nature of our discussions. But I am fully satisfied they
are consistent with our shared objectives.

I believe the humanitarian coalition to help the people of Afghanistan to be as vital
as any military action itself. Afghanistan was in the grip of a humanitarian crisis
even before the events of September 11. Four years of drought, on top of over two
decades of conflict, have forced millions of people to leave the country; and have
left millions more dependent on international humanitarian aid.

Last week the United Nations launched an appeal for $584 million (340million) to
meet the needs of vulnerable people in and around Afghanistan. The appeal covers
the next six months. The international community has already pledged sufficient
funds to meet the most immediate needs. The British government has contributed
25 million ($37 million), nearly all of which has already been allocated to U.N. and
other agencies. We have also made available a further 11m ($16 million) for
support for the poorest communities in Pakistan, especially those most directly
affected by the influx of refugees. I know President Bush will shortly announce
details of a major U.S. programme of aid.

I have been in detailed consultation with
the U.N. Secretary General, Kofi Annan,
the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees,
Ruud Lubbers, and other leaders. Kofi
Annan has now appointed Lakhdar Brahimi
to be his high level coordinator for the
humanitarian effort in and around
Afghanistan. We will give Mr Brahimi all
the support we can, to help ensure that the
U.N. and the whole of the international
community comes together to meet the
humanitarian challenge.

Action is already in hand to cope with
additional outflows of refugees. UNHCR is working with the governments of the
region to identify sites for additional refugee camps. The first UNHCR flight of
relief supplies, including tents donated by the British government, arrived in Iran
yesterday. A second flight will depart at the end of this week, carrying more tents,
plastic sheeting and tarpaulins, so that we can provide essential shelter for refugees.
We are also stepping up the effort to get food into Afghanistan, before the winter
snows begin. A UNICEF convoy carrying blankets and other supplies left Peshawar
for Kabul on Tuesday. A World Food Programme convoy carrying over 200 tonnes
of wheat arrived in Kabul on Monday. Further convoys have left for Afghanistan
from Pakistan and Turkmenistan.

Mr Speaker, we will do what ever we can to minimise the suffering of the Afghan
people as a result of the conflict; and we commit ourselves now to work with them
afterwards inside and outside Afghanistan to ensure a better, more peaceful future,
free from the repression and dictatorship that is their present existence.

On the diplomatic front, over the past three weeks the Foreign Secretary (Jack
Straw) and I have been in intensive contact with foreign leaders from every part of
the world. In addition, the Foreign Secretary has visited the Middle East and Iran. I
have visited Berlin, Paris and Washington for consultations with Chancellor
Schroeder, President Chirac and President Bush respectively. Later today I will
travel to Moscow to meet President Putin.

What we have encountered is an unprecedented level of solidarity and commitment
to work together against terrorism. This is a commitment that spans all continents,
cultures and religions, reinforced by attacks like the one on the Jammu and Kashmir
assembly in Srinagar, which killed over 30 innocent people.

We have already made good progress in taking forward an international agenda.
Last week the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted resolution
1373. This makes it mandatory for all states to prevent and suppress terrorist
financing and requires the denial of safe haven to those who finance, plan, support
or commit terrorist acts. The European Union too has taken firm action. Transport,
interior, finance and foreign ministers have all met to concert an ambitious and
effective European response: enhancing police cooperation; speeding up extradition;
putting an end to the funding of terrorism; and strengthening air security.

We are, of course, also looking closely at our national legislation. In the next few
weeks, the Home Secretary (David Blunket) intends to introduce a package of
legislation to supplement existing legal powers in a number of areas. It will be a
carefully appraised set of measures: tough, but balanced and proportionate to the
risk we face. It will cover the funding of terrorism. It will increase our ability to
exclude and remove those whom we suspect of terrorism and who are seeking to
abuse our asylum procedures. It will widen the law on incitement to include
religious hatred. We will bring forward a bill to modernise our extradition law.

This will not be a knee-jerk reaction. But I emphasise we do need to strengthen
our laws so that, even if necessary, only in a small number of cases, we have the
means to protect our citizens' liberty and our national security. We have also
ensured, insofar as is possible, that every reasonable measure of internal security is
being undertaken. We have in place a series of contingency plans, governing all
forms of terrorism. These plans are continually reviewed and tested regularly and at
all levels. In addition, we continue to monitor carefully developments in the British
and international economy. Certain sectors here and around the world have
inevitably been seriously affected, though I repeat the fundamentals of all the major
economies, including our own, remain strong. The reduction of risk from terrorist
mass action is important also to economic confidence as September 11 shows. So
there is every incentive in this respect also, to close down the Bin Laden network.

Mr Speaker, three weeks on from the most appalling act of terrorism the world
has ever witnessed, the coalition is strong. Military plans are robust. The
humanitarian plans are falling into place. And the evidence against bin Laden and his
network is overwhelming. The Afghan people are not our enemy. For they have our
sympathy and they will have our support.

Our enemy is Osama bin Laden and the Al Qaida network, who were responsible
for the events of September 11. The Taliban regime must yield them up or become
our enemy also.

We will not act for revenge. We will act because we need to for the protection of
our people and our way of life, including confidence in our economy. The threat
bin Laden and his terrorism represents must be eliminated. We act for justice. We
act with world opinion behind us. And we have an absolute determination to see
justice done, and this evil of mass international terrorism confronted and defeated.