Bin Laden becomes top suspect

WASHINGTON -- The United States pressed Pakistan on Thursday to close its border with Afghanistan and to cut off funds for terrorist groups, a senior White House official said.\nThe appeal coincided with Secretary of State Colin Powell's identifying Osama bin Laden as a key suspect in this week's terror attacks. Powell also was promised cooperation by Pakistan's president.\nBin Laden operates in Afghanistan with sanctuary provided by the Taliban, a fundamentalist Muslim group that controls most of the country.\nPresident George Bush called the strike against New York and Washington "the first war of the 21st century" and vowed revenge. "There's a quiet anger in America." \nThe United States also asked Pakistan for permission to fly over its territory in the event of military action, said the White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.\nWhen the Bush administration is certain who sent suicidal hijackers on their mission, Powell said, "We will go after that group, that network and those that have harbored, supported and aided that network, to rip that network up."\nHe added, grimly: "When we are through with that network, we will continue with a global assault against terrorism in general."\nAt a press conference, Powell became the first senior administration official to say openly what many have been saying privately: that bin Laden is suspected of engineering the attacks.\n"We are looking at those terrorist organizations who have the kind of capacity that would have been necessary to conduct the kind of attack that we saw," Powell said.\nPowell noted that the administration was not on the record with the identity of the organization it believed responsible. "When you look at the list of candidates, one resides in the region," he said.\nPowell answered, "Yes," when asked whether he was referring to bin Laden, the Saudi-born exile who runs a terrorist network from Afghanistan.\nMeanwhile, President Bush visited injured Pentagon workers Thursday and said he would carry the nation's prayers to terror-stricken New York. Fighting back tears, Bush said, "This nation is sad but we're also tough and resolute."\nElected on a promise to champion education reform and more recently focused on the economy, Bush said his priorities have changed. The fight against terrorism, Bush said, "is now the focus of my administration."\nThe president made an emotional telephone call to New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Gov. George Pataki that was televised live from the Oval Office. "I can't tell you how sad I am -- and America is --for the people of New York City," Bush said.\nBush was on the brink of tears during the Oval Office session. "I don't think about myself right now," he said. "I think about the families, the children. I'm a loving guy." He shook with emotion. "And I am also someone, however, who's got a job to do, and I intend to do it. And this is a terrible moment. But this country will not relent until we have saved ourselves and others from the terrible tragedy that came upon America"