01 October 2001
Transcript: Bush Reports "Progress on Many Fronts" in War Against Terrorism
(In remarks to employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency)
(1770)
President Bush October 1 reported "progress on many fronts" in the
battle against terrorism, saying authorities around the world had
frozen $6 million in bank accounts linked to terrorist activities;
frozen 30 al Qaeda accounts in the United States and 20 overseas and
arrested or detained "about 150 terrorists and their supporters" in 25
different countries.
Speaking in Washington at the headquarters of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA), Bush said in this new kind of war against
terrorism, "one that requires a coalition, we're making good progress
on the diplomatic front.
"At our request, the United Nations unanimously enacted a binding
resolution requiring all its members to deny financing support or safe
harbor to terrorists. We've had 46 declarations of support from
organizations, including NATO, the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations, the Organization of Islamic Conference, and the Organization
of American States," he said.
"We're beginning to share intelligence amongst our nations. We're
finding out members of the al Qaeda organization, who they are, where
they think they can hide. And we're slowly, but surely, bringing them
to justice. We're slowly, but surely, calling their hand and reining
them in.
"We've just begun. There's 150 detained, and more to come. And along
these lines, this weekend, through the collaborative efforts of
intelligence and law enforcement, we've arrested a known terrorist who
was responsible for the deaths of two U.S. citizens during a hijacking
in 1986. This terrorist, by the name of Zayd Hassin Safarini, is not
affiliated with al Qaeda," Bush said, "yet he's an example of the
wider war on terrorism and what we intend to do."
Bush also said that some 29,000 American military personnel have been
committed to the anti-terrorism effort, and 17,000 members of the
Reserve have been called to active duty. In addition, he said, several
thousand National Guard members are operating under state authority.
"This is a different kind of war. It's hard to fight a guerrilla war
with conventional forces, but our military is ready," Bush said.
Following is the transcript of the President's remarks:
(begin transcript)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
October 1, 2001
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO THE EMPLOYEES OF FEMA
FEMA Headquarters Washington, D.C.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. Thank you. I admit he's not
very pretty to look at. (Laughter.) But he's doing a heck of a job.
I'm so proud of my friend -- (applause.) It's become clear to all the
hardworking FEMA employees that I didn't pick Joe Allbaugh because of
his haircut. (Laughter.) But I picked him because he's a good man who
knows how to run a very important organization. And I'm proud of my
friend. I'm proud of the job he's doing. And I'm proud of the work
that the FEMA employees all across the country are doing on behalf of
America.
I'm here to thank you all. I was up in the operations room, thanking
the folks who are working 12 to 13, 14, 15 hours a day, still to this
day. I had the honor of going to New York City. I saw what they call
"dirty boot" operations, from Sacramento and Puerto Rico, all FEMA
employees; all people who love their fellow Americans; all who want to
join in to say loud and clear to the evildoers, your actions won't
stand in America. (Applause.)
Joe said it best; he said, this is something I hope I never have to go
through again as long as I live. I know every FEMA employee feels that
way. After all, yours was an organization that was used to dealing
with, generally, acts of nature -- hurricanes or tornadoes, and fires
or floods. And then, all of a sudden, some evil people came and they
declared war on America. And your agency and the good-working people,
true Americans, had to rise to the occasion.
And rise, you did. And for that, the people of New York and
Connecticut and New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and every other state in
the Union, are proud of the job you're doing. So on behalf of the
American people, I say thanks from the bottom of our hearts for the
FEMA employees.
I also want to talk about the battle we face, the campaign to protect
freedom; the willingness of the American people to not only repair the
damage done, but the willingness of our nation to stand united, to say
loud and clear that freedom will stand; that you can tear down our
buildings, but you can't tear down our spirit; that we're strong and
united in the cause of freedom not only here in America, but all
around the world.
This will be a different kind of campaign than Americans are used to.
It's a campaign that must be fought on many fronts. And I'm proud to
report that we're making progress on many fronts. Not only have the
FEMA employees showed the world what it's like to stand up and help a
neighbor in need, we're also beginning to make progress on the
financial front.
As you may remember, I made it clear that part of winning the war
against terror would be to cut off these evil people's money; it would
be to trace their assets and freeze them, cut off their cash flows,
hold people accountable who fund them, who allow the funds to go
through their institutions; and not only do that at home, but to
convince others around the world to join us in doing so.
Thus far, we've frozen $6 million in bank accounts linked to terrorist
activity. We've frozen 30 al Qaeda accounts in the United States and
20 overseas. And we're just beginning.
Also on the military front we're making progress. We've deployed
29,000 military personnel and two carrier battle groups, as well as an
amphibious-ready group and several hundred military aircraft. We've
called about 17,000 members of the Reserve to active duty, as well as
several thousand National Guard operating under state authority.
As I said, this is a different kind of war. It's hard to fight a
guerrilla war with conventional forces. But our military is ready. And
as I said to the Congress, they will make us proud. (Applause.)
In this new kind of war, one that requires a coalition, we're making
good progress on the diplomatic front. At our request, the United
Nations unanimously enacted a binding resolution requiring all its
members to deny financing support or safe harbor to terrorists.
(Applause.) We've had 46 declarations of support from organizations,
including NATO, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the
Organization of Islamic Conference, and the Organization of American
States.
You see, the evildoers like to hit and then they try to hide. And
slowly, but surely, we're going to make sure they have no place to
hide. Slowly, but surely, we're going to move them out of their holes
and what they think is safe havens, and get them on the move.
We're a patient nation. We're a nation who has got a long-term view; a
nation that's come to realize that in order to make freedom prevail,
the evildoers will be forced to run, and will eventually be brought to
justice.
Now, along those lines, we're taking any threat seriously here at
home. The FBI has conducted hundreds of interviews and searches,
issued hundreds of subpoenas, and arrested or detained more than 400
people as it investigates the attacks. About 150 terrorists and their
supporters, as well, have been arrested or detained in 25 different
countries.
In my speech to the Congress, I said, sometimes the American people
aren't going to see exactly what's taking place on their TV screens.
But slowly, but surely, the results are coming in. You see, we've said
to people around the world, this could have happened to you, this
could have easily have taken place on your soil, so you need to take
threats seriously, as well.
We're beginning to share intelligence amongst our nations. We're
finding out members of the al Qaeda organization, who they are, where
they think they can hide. And we're slowly, but surely, bringing them
to justice. We're slowly, but surely, calling their hand and reining
them in.
We've just begun. There's 150 detained, and more to come. And along
these lines, this weekend, through the collaborative efforts of
intelligence and law enforcement, we've arrested a known terrorist who
was responsible for the deaths of two U.S. citizens during a hijacking
in 1986. This terrorist, by the name of Zayd Hassin Safarini, is not
affiliated with al Qaeda. Yet he's an example of the wider war on
terrorism and what we intend to do.
Here's a man who killed two of our own citizens when he hijacked a
plane in Pakistan. By the way, obviously, there's only two Americans.
That's two too many, but there was a lot of people from other
countries, as well, involved. And he was convicted and sentenced to
death. Yet he only served 14 years. Well, we arrested him; we got him;
we brought him into Alaska. And today the United States of America
will charge him with murder. (Applause.)
Sometimes we'll have success in the near-term; sometimes with have to
be patient. Sometimes we'll be able to round somebody up who threatens
us today; sometimes it may take us awhile to catch him. But the lesson
of this case, and every case, is that this mighty nation won't rest
until we protect ourselves, our citizens, and freedom-loving people
around the world.
The evildoers struck, and when they did, they aroused a mighty land, a
land of compassionate people, a land who wants to help a neighbor in
need, but a land who stands solidly on principles -- the principles of
freedom -- freedom to worship, freedom to govern, freedom to speak,
freedom to assemble.
We sent a loud message to the world: We will not be cowed by a few. We
sent another message to the world: Together we're going to bring these
people to justice. And that's exactly what we're going to do.
(Applause.)
Thank you for your hard work. I want to thank you all so very much for
your hard work and for your love for America. May God bless you all.
May God continue to bless America. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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