November 28, 2001 Diary: America Strikes Back

Getty Images Photo American soldiers hide behind a barricade during an explosion, prior to fighting with Taliban forces at the fortress near Mazar-e-Sharif, northern Afghanistan. The fighting came after several hundred prisoners, mostly foreigners fighting for the Taliban, captured part of the fortress. The fortress was retaken Tuesday. Now, U.S. officials say, ground efforts by U.S. troops will concentrate on finding suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden.

Search for bin Laden narrowing, U.S. says
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
U.S. forces in Afghanistan have narrowed their search for Osama bin Laden and senior al-Qaida leaders to two parts of Afghanistan, but the commander of those forces said Tuesday there still was no way to ensure that bin Laden and others wouldn't be able to slip across the border.

Ashcroft sketches evidence on detainees
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
The government is detaining 603 people in its terrorism investigation, including some alleged members of Osama bin Laden's network. Federal agents have cited concerns about nuclear power plants, guns and box cutters in seeking the detentions, according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press.

Terrorist attacks help move some couples to start families
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
The words came to Ann Travers as she watched her husband sleep that night: "He's going to make an excellent father." And there it was, the answer she'd been searching for — her personal response to tragedy after walking out of Manhattan and turning to watch the World Trade Center collapse.

Afghans see role for king
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
Talks among four Afghan factions on how to share power once the Taliban are defeated got off to an optimistic start Tuesday, with a U.S. official saying all sides favor giving Afghanistan's former king a role as a unifying figure.

First U.S. combat death confirmed in Afghanistan
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
(Updated Wednesday at 3:33 p.m.) CIA officer Johnny "Mike" Spann was killed in a prison riot at Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan, the first American known to be killed in action inside the country since U.S. bombing began, the CIA said Wednesday.

Justice Department: Detention of hundreds necessary
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
(Updated Wednesday at 1:22 p.m.) The Justice Department lawyer overseeing the terrorism investigation told lawmakers Wednesday the government's detention of hundreds of people is necessary to combat "sleeper cells" of terrorists quietly waiting to strike.

Taliban say leader is safe after U.S. airstrikes
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
(Updated Wednesday at 9:55 a.m.) The Taliban said Wednesday that their supreme leader was safe after U.S. airstrikes on a Taliban "leadership area." At a northern fortress where pro-Taliban foreigners were killed in a prison mutiny, bodies of dozens of foreign fighters were seen with their arms tied behind their backs.

Tourists give N.Y. a new look
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
By Lenore Skenazy
New York Daily News

When my brother-in-law called about a month ago to say he was bringing his family to New York for Thanksgiving, my husband and I exchanged silent grimaces even as we told him, "Gee, great!"

U.S. must face the world
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
By Trudy Rubin
The Philadelphia Inquirer

Five weeks ago I went to see Ground Zero and lost my husband. We were walking along Broadway behind the police barricade and trying to get a glimpse of the steaming horrors when Paul disappeared into the crowd ahead of me.

Poll: Americans show resilience
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
Surprise: Americans did not panic after Sept. 11, weren't driven by revenge in pursuing a war on terrorism and have largely returned to normal lives. That was the consensus Tuesday among pollsters and analysts who have studied dozens of surveys since the terrorist attacks.

Northern alliance claims uprising over
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
Dozens of shattered bodies lay in the dusty courtyard of a mud-walled Afghan fortress prison Tuesday after a three-day uprising by Taliban prisoners. The northern alliance claimed to have put down the revolt with the help of American airstrikes and special forces, but U.S. military officials said 30 to 40 men still were holding out in the sprawling Qalai Janghi complex.

Ashcroft flouts basic rights
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
By David Cole
Special to the Los Angeles Times

In what apparently passes for bipartisanship these days, Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft has sought to cloak his anti-terrorist campaign in legitimacy by invoking an esteemed predecessor, Robert F. Kennedy.

Briefly
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
• Iraq : Saddam dismisses threat
• Afghanistan: Swedish journalist killed
• Washington, D.C.: Tree-lighting open to public