America warns of NZ terror links

New Zealand may harbour terrorists connected to Osama bin Laden, says the United States congressman leading its inquiry into the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

Saxby Chambliss identified New Zealand as one of 64 countries where terrorist cells with links to bin Laden could be active.

Chambliss chairs the House of Representatives subcommittee on terrorism and homeland security and is a senior member of its intelligence committee.

He was appointed on September 14 to lead the inquiry into the aerial attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Speaking on Newstalk ZB, Mr Chambliss said: "We know you want to root out these terrible folks who are involved in terrorism as well as we do, and we sure look forward to working with your Government to make sure that whatever terrorist activity you have, if we can help in your situation, you can help in ours."

But Prime Minister Helen Clark, who is minister in charge of New Zealand's Security Intelligence Service, played down Chambliss' comments. She said she was unaware of any US list identifying countries with suspected terrorist cells.

"If there were such a list it would be likely to include every Western country. We never comment on intelligence matters, but sufficient to say I sleep easily in my bed."

A US authority on terrorism warned a year ago that New Zealand was a "cleaning and conditioning station" for Islamic terrorists and said a suspected network uncovered in Auckland was not the only one operating in this country.

Yossef Bodansky, director of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, said he had been aware for some time of Islamic terrorist activity in New Zealand.

The Weekend Herald revealed in August last year that when police discovered the Mt Albert cell, they found evidence suggesting a conspiracy to attack the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in Sydney during the Olympic Games.

Mr Chambliss said New Zealand was "in good company" with 63 other countries on the US list.

Since the devastating September 11 attacks, the United States and world leaders have been preparing the ground for a war on terrorism against an enemy with worldwide tentacles.

As the toll of dead and missing from the aerial strikes reached 6947 yesterday, Bush Administration officials continued to emphasise the global nature of the campaign and warned that it could last several years.

But the immediate objective remains pressuring Afghanistan into handing over bin Laden, and American military firepower is converging on the impoverished central Asian nation.

Officials scoffed at Taleban claims that they have lost contact with the guerrilla leader.

"They know where he is," said Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Secretary of State Colin Powell said the United States would soon release evidence "quite clearly" linking bin Laden to the attacks.

Washington increased its reward for information leading to his capture from $US5 million to $US30 million.

As the military buildup continued:

* New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff was due overnight to discuss an international response to the terrorist attacks in Washington with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and US security advisers.

He said New Zealand would support a surgical military strike as long as it was carefully targeted to avoid civilian casualties.

* The Taleban regime installed anti-aircraft batteries and bunkers in Kabul and mobilised troops in border areas.

* Anti-Taleban forces seized new territory in northern Afghanistan.

* Pentagon officials arrived in Islamabad to finalise plans to use Pakistani facilities, airspace and intelligence.

* Six Gulf Arab states pledged support for US moves against terrorism.

* President Bush's approval rating for his handling of the crisis reached 90 per cent, the highest of any President.

Map: Opposing forces in the war against terror

Afghanistan facts and links