The United States warned Sunday nations supporting terrorists would face the "full wrath" of US power as Washington crafted plans to retaliate for Tuesday's attacks despite a denial of responsibility from prime suspect Osama bin Laden.
Here is a summary of key events:
- US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the United States has "no choice" but to strike targets in countries that harbor terrorists.
- Vice President Dick Cheney describes the campaign to stamp out terrorism as "a mean, nasty, dangerous and dirty business."
- Attorney General John Ashcroft says expanded powers to tap phones and spy on suspects are needed to combat terrorism. Calls grow for an end to 25-year-old US ban on assassinations.
- The United States announces plans to send a team to Pakistan to discuss Islamabad's offer to help with anti-terrorism measures.
- Secretary of State Colin Powell says the United States might consider anti-terrorism cooperation with Iran and Syria.
- New York City authorities put the number of people missing in the attack on the World Trade Center at 5,097. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani says 180 bodies have been pulled from the wreckage, of which 115 have been identified. Pentagon officials put the number of missing at 125.
- Wall Street prepares for the critical reopening Monday of the New York Stock Exchange, which could determine if the US and global economies escape recession.
- US authorities have arrested a second man in connection with the attacks, according to CNN and the Washington Post. The arrested man was among a group of 25 people detained and questioned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the last three days. Two men have now been named as material witnesses.
- Prime suspect Osama bin Laden faxes a statement to the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press saying "categorically" that he was not responsible for Tuesday's terror strikes in the United States.
- A Pakistani delegation prepares to travel Monday to Afghanistan in a bid to persuade the ruling Taliban militia to hand over bin Laden in order to avert a US military assalt.
- Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi says the United States has "the right to take revenge."
- US airlines have been hit hard in the aftermath of the attacks on New York and the Pentagon by hijacked aircraft, with many announcing they were cutting flights and staff -- and one warning they all faced bankruptcy. The chief executive of Continental Airlines, Gordon Bethune, said his company was laying off one fifth of its workforce -- around 12,000 people -- and predicted a total of 100,000 would be laid off across the industry -- AFP
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