'Sudan, Yemen on U.S. hit list'

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, NOV. 25. Fears that the U.S. military action against ``terrorist'' States might not end with Afghanistan are likely to be proved right, according to a leading British newspaper which today said three more countries - though not Iraq - were on Washington's ``hit'' list, and the first attacks could come as early as January.

Sudan, Somalia and Yemen were said to be on the ``top'' of the list and could be targeted ``as soon as the campaign in Afghanistan is over,'' The Sunday Times reported, quoting unidentified U.S. and British sources. It said the British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair and the U.S. President, Mr. George W. Bush had ``agreed'' that the momentum created by the successful anti-terrorism campaign in Afghanistan must be sustained with ``swift'' action against other targets linked with Osama bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda network.

The report runs contrary to Britain's consistent stand that the current campaign is restricted to Afghanistan and no other country is on the coalition's hit list. Speculation that the U.S. might extend the campaign to other countries suspected of harbouring or assisting terrorists has been repeatedly scotched by Britain with Mr. Blair himself categorically ruling out British participation in any such adventure without proper consultation with other coalition allies.

A Foreign Office spokesman told The Hindu that it remained the British Government's view that there was no direct evidence to link any other country with the September 11 outrage but if any such evidence emerged ``we would have to look at it very carefully''. The Sunday Times report, he added, mainly ``concerned'' the U.S., and references to Britain had ``no substance''. The newspaper, however, said British and American intelligence officers were already active in the three countries which were likely to be targeted.

The British intelligence agency, MI6, had played a ``leading role'' in gathering critical information about terrorists in these countries and their links with Al-Qaeda, it said adding that ``according to British sources'' the first targets could be hit in late January if the war in Afghanistan was nearing its final stages by then. Official denial notwithstanding, the report makes frequent references to British ``sources'' to suggest that what is being allegedly planned is a joint Anglo-U.S. move.

Giving details of the proposed ``stiletto'' attacks on Bin Laden's associates and terrorist training camps in these countries, the newspaper said Yemen where 17 American sailors were killed in a suicide bomb attack on USS Cole last year was ``most likely to feel Washington's wrath'' as it was believed that Al-Qaeda supporters had established bases in the country's northern mountains where they ran training centres. It said America hoped to get the co-operation of the Yemeni President, Mr. Ali Abdullah Saleh.

``In Sudan, where Bin Laden lived until 1996, the Bush administration is expected to pursue followers of Hassan al- Turabi, a former parliamentary Speaker now under house arrest. Al-Turabi, whose niece is married to Bin Laden, gave him sanctuary for five years,'' the report indicated, identifying the possible targets in Somalia as the Al-Itihaad group of Muhammed Atif, Bin Laden's deputy who was killed in Afghanistan recently. Observers noted that surprisingly Iraq and Libya - the favourite whipping boys of the hawks in Washington - did not figure in The Sunday Times report. Britain has strongly opposed targeting Iraq saying there is no direct evidence to link it with the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington.

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Section  : International
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