US President George W. Bush officially declared a national emergency Friday, citing a "continuing and immediate threat" to the nation after history's worst terrorist attack earlier this week.
"A national emergency exists by reason of the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, New York, New York, and the Pentagon, and the continuing and immediate threat of further attacks on the United States," he said in a proclamation.
On Tuesday, terrorists hijacked four fuel-heavy commercial jetliners and used them as guided missiles against targets in New York and Washington, toppling the World Trade Center's twin towers and leaving a smoldering hole in the Pentagon.
Bush also formally gave the Pentagon the authority to call up 50,000 reserves to active duty as the US military weighed its options for what US officials say may be a protracted, global struggle against terrorism.
In an executive order, Bush gave the Defense Department to assign reserves to active duty "for not more than 24 consecutive months” -- WASHINGTON (AFP)
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