US Presses Pakistan to Close Border With AfghanistanThe United States urged Pakistan Thursday to close its border with Afghanistan, a senior Bush administration official said.The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the US also asked Pakistan for permission to fly over its territory in the event of military action. The U.S. action came after Secretary of State Colin Powell identified exiled Saudi billionaire Osama bin Laden as a a prime suspect who may have masterminded Tuesday's attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon near Washington. Powell was the first senior U.S. official who publicly named bin Laden as a suspect in the terrorist attacks in the United States. Bin Laden operates in Afghanistan with sanctuary provided by the Taliban that controls most of the country. |
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