Blair produces Bin Laden evidence

The prime minister, Tony Blair, this morning released a dossier of evidence linking Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaida terrorist network to the attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania on September 11.

The document, entitled Responsibility for the terrorist atrocities in the US, is highly edited for security reasons, and, in its own words, "does not purport to provide a prosecutable case against Osama bin Laden in a court of law".

These are its main findings:

Conclusions
• Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida, the terrorist network that he heads, planned and carried out the atrocities on September 11 2001.
• Bin Laden and al-Qaida retain the will and resources to carry out further atrocities.
• The UK, and UK nationals, are potential targets.
• Bin Laden and al-Qaida were able to commit these atrocities because of their close alliance with the Taliban regime, which allowed them to operate with impunity in pursuing their terrorist activity.

Background
•Al-Qaida has operated out of Afghanistan since 1996
• It is partly funded by the drugs trade
• It has sought to acquire nuclear and chemical weapons.

September 11
• At least three of the 19 known hijackers were linked to al-Qaida.

The Taliban
• The US has been in talks since 1996 with the regime to expel terrorists from Afghanistan
• In June 2001, the US warned the Taliban it would be held responsible for attacks against American citizens by terrorists sheltered in Afghanistan.

Al Qaida
• Operates across north Africa and the Middle East and Asia
• Members of al-Qaida must pledge allegiance to Bin Laden.

Osama bin Laden
• Shortly before the September 11 attacks, Bin Laden asserted he was preparing a "major attack" on America
• Associates of Bin Laden returned to Afghanistan ahead of the attacks
• Evidence of a very specific nature relating to the guilt of Bin Laden and his associates is "too sensitive to release".