12 September 2001

Powell Says U.S. Is Building Coalition to Combat Terrorism

By Merle D. Kellerhals, Jr.
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- The United States will find whoever is responsible for the terrorist attacks on the twin World Trade towers in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, and they will pay for it, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said September 12.

Powell said at a mid-afternoon State Department news briefing that the United States is undertaking diplomatic, political and military efforts to determine who is responsible, and is building a worldwide coalition to combat terrorism.

He said it is too early to say who may have been responsible for the attacks on the United States, and "we haven't singled out any country" that may have lent support to the people responsible for the attacks.

However, Powell said that "we will hold accountable those countries that provide support, that give host nation ... support and facilities to these kinds of terrorist groups."

A hijacked American Airlines passenger plane, flying from Boston to Los Angeles, slammed into one of the 110-story twin World Trade towers at 8:45 a.m. (EDT) (1245 GMT) September 11. A second hijacked commercial plane, a United Airlines flight from Boston to Los Angeles, struck the second twin tower at 9:05 a.m. (EDT) (1305 GMT). By 10:30 a.m. (EDT) (1430 GMT) both buildings had collapsed onto the New York City streets below.

A third hijacked commercial jetliner, an American Airlines flight from Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles, crashed into a section on the west side of the Pentagon at 9:40 a.m. (EDT) (1345 GMT). Finally, a fourth hijacked commercial jet plummeted to earth about 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Authorities have not been able to say exactly how many people may have been killed in the attacks, but the American people have been warned by national leaders that it will likely reach into the thousands.

Powell said these attacks will not break the American people. "It is a tragedy that we are strong enough to overcome. Our spirits will not be broken. We will find out who is responsible for this and they will pay for it," he said.

Powell, who cut short a trip to South America after the attacks, telephoned leaders of the United Nations, NATO and the European Union, and leaders in the Middle East. He said that he was seeking a coordinated response from a range of foreign leaders and international organization leaders to develop a coalition to combat terrorism.

"I have talked to Kofi Annan, secretary general of the United Nations, and I thank the United Nations for the Security Council resolution they passed and also for the statement from the General Assembly," he said.

Earlier Powell had spoken with Lord Robertson of NATO about a resolution that would set up activation of Article V of the North Atlantic Charter. Article V provides that an attack from abroad against any member is an attack against the [NATO] alliance.

Powell said the article would be invoked if the United States determines an attack from abroad has occurred. It would mark the first time in history that the mutual defense clause has been invoked.

"We're building a strong coalition to go after these perpetrators, but more broadly, to go after terrorism wherever we find it in the world," Powell said. "It's a scourge not only against the United States, but against civilization, and it must be brought to an end."