For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 16, 2002

Fact Sheet: News About the War Against Terror

DIPLOMACY

The United States and more than 90 other countries are allies in the international war against terrorism.

President Bush has been successful in bringing multilateral organizations from every region of the globe into the war against terrorism.

• The Organization of American States, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the G-8, the Association of South East Asian Nations, the ANZUS Treaty, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum have taken concrete steps to combat terrorism more effectively.
• African leaders issued the Dakar Declaration and the Africa Union is taking steps on combating terrorism.

The United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution to force Saddam Hussein to disclose and destroy any weapons of mass destruction or face serious consequences.

TERRORIST FINANCES

Since September 11, 2001:

• 167 countries are blocking terrorist assets.
• $113.5 million in terrorist assets have been frozen worldwide in over 500 accounts--$35.3 million in the US, $78.2 million overseas.
• The flow of terrorist money through a number of funding pipelines has been cut. For example Al-Barakaat's worldwide network, which was channeling as much as $15 to $20 million a year to Al Qaida, was shut down.

Where warranted, the United States has unlocked funds. The U.S. and its allies have returned $350 million in Afghan government assets to the Interim Authority in Afghanistan. These assets had been protectively frozen in connection with the Taliban sanctions.

The United States lead the international community in developing a voluntary set of best practice guidelines for charities intended to reduce the likelihood that charitable funds will be diverted for violent ends. The Treasury Department is helping the Islamic community in America implement these guidelines.

The U.S. Treasury and State departments announced a $5 million reward program for information leading to the disruption of any terrorism-financing operation.

THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN

More than 60,000 American troops are deployed around the world against terrorism: 9,000 just in Afghanistan; others are in the Philippines, Georgia, and Yemen.

31 nations have deployed more than 14,000 troops in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

NATO, invoking Article V for the first time on September 12, 2001, came to the aid of the United States, and NATO allies flew more than 350 sorties and logged more than 4,300 flight hours as part of operation Noble Eagle.

Approximately 650 enemy combatants are now under U.S. control.

World-wide, approximately 2290 terrorist-related arrests were made in 99 countries between September 12, 2001 and October 28, 2002.

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND RECONSTRUCTION

Humanitarian aid to Afghanistan started on day one of the war, with 37,000 humanitarian daily rations airdropped while the attacks were underway. More than 575,000 metric tons of food have been delivered since the start of the war.

Since January 1, 2002, 1.8 million refugees have returned to Afghanistan with assistance of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and more than 250,000 refugees have returned on their own, bringing the total number of returned refugees to over 2 million.

The United States Government has provided $850 million for humanitarian and reconstruction assistance in Afghanistan since October 2001. Congress is considering legislation authorizing $1.45 billion for Afghanistan over the next four years.

America and our allies are helping Afghanistan rebuild their country and restore civil government by:

• Undertaking 211 infrastructure projects in 10 provinces;
• Training more than 1,100 soldiers for the Afghan National army;
• With Japan and Saudi Arabia, rebuilding a road linking Kabul through Kandahar to Herat.

With the Norwegian, British, Polish, and Jordanian demining teams, cleared land mines from over 2000 square miles of Afghanistan. The State Department is allocating $7 million to clearing land mines in Afghanistan.

In addition to coordinating educational and cultural exchanges and special programs for Afghan women, the State Department is providing the United Nations and international NGOs with $124.5 million in refugee assistance funds for repatriation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Iran and resettlement of internally displaced persons. Projects include shelter, water and sanitation, as well as health and education for refugees.

PROMOTING FREEDOM

In Afghanistan, $6 million of Transition Initiatives funding is being directed to indigenous NGO's, particularly focusing on women's groups and community development projects.

Voice of America and the Afghan Information Ministry, with $10 million from the Pentagon, are installing radio transmitters to rebuild the national radio network.

The U.S. Government is supporting 16 working groups of Iraqis, who are planning for the day their country can rejoin the international community, after disarming, dismantling infrastructure for terrorism, and achieving peace, representative and responsible governance.

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