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U.S. President Says Progress Made in Anti-terrorism War
U.S. President George W. Bush said in Washington on Monday that he was pleased with what has been accomplished in the war against terrorism since the terror attacks on New York and Washington on September 11.
The battle was a "campaign that must be fought on many fronts, and I'm proud to report that we're making progress on many fronts, " Bush said during a visit to the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency that oversees disaster aid.
"We're going to bring these people to justice," Bush said, but he admitted that it may take a while to apprehend those responsible for the hijacking attacks."
He said that hundreds of people were arrested here and overseas in the investigation, international cooperation was strengthened and initial success was achieved in seizing the assets of Saudi millionaire Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda organization.
According to the president, in the week since he announced a move to freeze the assets of bin Laden and 26 other individuals and organizations, some US$6 million has been blocked and 50 bank accounts frozen, 30 in this country and 20 overseas.
He also noted that some 29,000 American troops have been committed to the effort. "This is a different kind of war. It's hard to fight a guerrilla war with conventional forces, but our military is ready," Bush said.
Bush has approved assistance to groups within Afghanistan that oppose the ruling Taliban militia, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.
"The purpose of the mission is to eliminate those who harbor terrorists. ... We will work with a variety of people, all of whom have an interest in establishing an Afghanistan that is peaceful and does not practice terrorism," said Fleischer.
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