Skip to main content /US
CNN.com /US
SERVICES
CNN TV
EDITIONS


COMPLETE COVERAGE | FRONT LINES | AMERICA AT HOME | INTERACTIVES »

Fact Sheet

Investigation: U.S. seeks 22 top suspects

more stories
image
Photos of some of the suspected terrorists who are on the new "most wanted" list.  


SUMMARY:

The White House released on Wednesday a "most wanted" list of 22 indicted terrorism suspects that includes not only Osama bin Laden and some of his top allies, but those thought responsbile for a range of other deadly strikes.

The massive task that confronts U.S. investigators in the aftermath of the attacks on New York and the Pentagon -- and the urgency of stopping future acts from being carried out -- is putting a new premium on the ability of federal, state and local officials to work together: It's prompting calls for improvement in a relationship that historically has been marked by friction and turf battles.

UPDATE:

President Bush unveiled a "most wanted" list of suspects that includes not only Osama bin Laden and some of his top allies but those believed responsible for other terrorist strikes, including the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the 1996 bombing of the Al Khobar Towers apartment complex in Saudi Arabia that was serving as a U.S. military barracks. (Full story)

The list of 22 names also includes suspects in the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.


  •  Summary

  •  Update

  •  Key questions

  •  Who's who

  •  Impact

Attack on America
 CNN.COM SPECIAL REPORT
 CNN NewsPass Video 
Agencies reportedly got hijack tips in 1998
 MORE STORIES
Intelligence intercept led to Buffalo suspects
Report cites warnings before 9/11
 EXTRA INFORMATION
Timeline: Who Knew What and When?
Interactive: Terror Investigation
Terror Warnings System
Most wanted terrorists
What looks suspicious?
In-Depth: America Remembers
In-Depth: Terror on Tape
In-Depth: How prepared is your city?
 RESOURCES
On the Scene: Barbara Starr: Al Qaeda hunt expands?
On the Scene: Peter Bergen: Getting al Qaeda to talk

Much has been said since the attacks of the need to streamline the flow of communication and intelligence sharing among federal agencies, such as the FBI and the CIA. But some officials and analysts are also pointing to a need for greater collaboration vertically, among all levels of law enforcement -- federal, state, and local -- in order to better confront the new challenges posed by terrorists operating within the United States. (Full story)

KEY QUESTIONS:

How is law enforcement working globally to coordinate the investigation?

How will the expansion of law-enforcement powers affect Americans' civil liberties? Click here for more.

How are people identified as suspected terrorists communicating with each other? Click here for more.

How are law-enforcement authorities using technology such as encryption tools to hunt terrorists? Click here for more.

What groups are U.S. investigators focusing on, and what are their aims? Click here for more.

How would law-enforcement authorities go after financial assets of people identified as terrorists? Click here for more.

How did the September 11 attackers evade U.S. intelligence? Click here for more.

WHO'S WHO:

George W. Bush: U.S. president

Colin Powell: U.S. secretary of state Click here for more

Condoleezza Rice: National security adviser Click here for more

John Ashcroft: U.S. attorney general

Robert Mueller: FBI director Click here for more

George Tenet: CIA director. Click here for more

Osama bin Laden: U.S. authorities have named bin Laden, a wealthy Saudi exile living in Afghanistan, as the prime suspect in masterminding the September 11 attacks. Click here for more

IMPACT:

Information gained from the investigation could lead to fundamental changes in U.S. security and intelligence systems, as well as surveillance laws.



 
 
 
 



RELATED SITES:
See related sites about US
Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.

U.S. TOP STORIES:

 Search   

Back to the top