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Posted on 09/25/2001 10:50:33 AM PDT by Dirk McQuickly

BIN LADEN: THE NET CLOSES Jets set for giant blitz on training camps By Andy Lines, US Editor TERRORIST chief Osama bin Laden was trapped in a mountain lair last night as SAS troops moved to seal his escape routes. MI6 agents operating inside Afghanistan are homing in on the hideout. And snatch squads are poised to move in when President Bush gives the order to strike back over the September 11 suicide attacks in America. Cabinet Minister John Reid warned yesterday that Britain faces civilian and military casualties in the long war on international terrorism. US Secretary of State Colin Powell said: "The whole network has to be ripped up." Giant B52 and B1 bombers are gearing up to blitz the terrorists' training camps in an awesome display of military might, a highly placed defence source revealed. Then SAS snatch squads will move in to grab bin Laden whose escape routes are already being sealed off. MI6 officers inside Afghanistan know where bin Laden is hiding thanks to spy satellites which have pinpointed his whereabouts. As the US put a £17million bounty on the terror chief's head, the source said: "While it's tempting to order the SAS to grab him now, we're happy that we've got him where we want him and he can't escape. "There will be a sustained carpet bombing to soften up his defences. They're going to get the pounding from hell. Then the snatch squads will pull out whatever is left." The troop deployment, which could involve RAF Tornadoes, could begin within 48 hours. One SAS team has already reportedly exchanged fire with Taliban rebels. Northern Alliance Afghan forces fighting the Taliban regime also claim to know bin Laden's hideout. The Alliance's foreign minister, Abdullah Abdullah, said yesterday: "I'm certain he is in the southern part of Afghanistan, probably in Oruzgan. "He has had a lot of hiding places in the province over the years." It was clear that Abdullah, who was reluctant to give further details, has been liaising with both US and Russian governments. His alliance will be critical as the SAS smoke out bin Laden, prime suspect for the skyjack suicide attacks on New York's World Trade Center and Pentagon which left 6,800 dead. Haron Amin, the alliance's representative to the UN, said: "We know the terrain and we speak the language. We can be of maximum use in Afgh-anistan and do a lot of the groundwork." Russian leader Vladimir Putin gave the US a huge boost yesterday when he pledged "full assistance" to any attack - including unlimited access to Russian airspace. Jordan's King Abdullah said his country was "fully committed to supporting the US in whatever is asked." The Taliban said they had no idea where "guest Osama" was and claimed he had gone missing. But this was rubbished by US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld who said: "It's not credible." Asked whether the US had ruled out using nuclear weapons Rumsfeld said that, historically, "the United States, to my knowledge, has never ruled out the use of nuclear weapons". But he did not suggest the country intended to use such FORCE. Secretary of State Colin Powell cranked up the pressure by declaring that bin Laden's entire al-Qaeda terror organisation had to be "ripped up." He said: "Were not interested in going after the Afghan people. We're interested in going after bin Laden and the al-Qaeda network. We're talking about several thousand people. "Al-Qaeda is something like a holding company of terrorist organisations located in dozens of countries. "At the head of that organisation is bin Laden. We have to get them all." The US confirmed it had lost contact with an unmanned spy plane deployed as part of the battle plan. But Taliban claims that it had shot down the plane were denied. Meanwhile UN relief workers on the borders of Afghanistan braced themselves for a flood of up to 1.5million refugees seeking sanctuary in Pakistan and Iran. In Britain, Ulster Secretary John Reid warned the nation it must be prepared for thousands of casualties among civilians and military. Dr Reid said: "We have had thousands of casualties already because of the evil acts that have taken place. "I think we have to expect that and we have to be prepared to tolerate that. We're in for a long haul. The battle against terrorism will not be won in months, perhaps not years." The warning was seen as the clearest yet that there could be terrorist attacks in the UK and heavy British involvement in military strikes. It came at a time of growing unease at the extent of Britain's backing for President Bush's mission. Former defence minister Peter Kilfoyle questioned whether British voters would be prepared to accept heavy casualties and said the US was "shaping an agenda to settle old scores". Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy said Britain should not offer the US a "blank cheque". He said: "Although we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Americans we need a calculated and measured response." Parliament is expected to be recalled if British troops are involved in any military action. Tomorrow, Tony Blair will meet cross-party committees on foreign affairs, defence, home affairs and intelligence. Downing Street said: "It is important we build a coalition of support both at home and abroad." All the parties may cut short their party conferences taking place in the next three weeks if retaliation strikes are launched. Prince Charles is set to visit British troops in the Gulf to boost their morale before any military action. Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said she plans a permanent memorial to up to 250 British victims of the Trade Center disaster. Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef said at the weekend that seven Saudis named by FBI as suspects in the skyjack attacks were innocent and still living in the kingdom. It is thought the real attackers used false or stolen documents

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