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U.S. reacts with cheers and caution News of strikes hits Americans across nation BY DAVID CRARY ASSOCIATED PRESS Cheers of “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!” echoed through the Atlanta Falcons’ football stadium at news that U.S. forces had launched strikes in Afghanistan. In Denver, a woman who fled as a child from Vietnam ruefully wished that war could be avoided. Across the nation, wide spread support for counter strikes against terrorism was coupled with worries. The president of the Mormon church choked with emotion as he reported the U.S. strikes to a conference of the faithful in Salt Lake City. “Occasions of this kind pull us up sharply to the realization that life is fragile, that peace is fragile, that civilization is frag ile,” Gordon B. Hinckley said. Tens of thousands of Americans heard the news while packed into stadiums for NFL games and the close ofbaseball’s regular season. The start of the Philadelphia Eagles’ game against Arizona at Veterans Stadium was de layed nine minutes as President Bush’s announcement of the strikes was shown on the big screen. The crowd of more than 64,000 cheered when they saw images of the military action. At Miller Park in Milwaukee, baseball fans didn’t see Bush on the scoreboard, but subdued players watched on clubhouse televisions. “We all knew it was going to happen,” Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Mike De Jean said. “Baseball has been secondary since Sept. 11.1 think we all want to get home and be with our fami lies in times like this.” The news soon spread into the stands. “It’s about time,” said Dan ' Scheuerer of Beaver Dam, Wis. “I hope we get (Osama) bin Laden. I also hope we can minimize the damage to innocent people.” In Nashville, Ind., Charles King listened to reports of the attack as he parked cars on a lot he runs. “We knew this was going to happen,” said King, 54. “I don’t want to live the rest of my life in fear, so we have to wipe [ter rorists] out.” In Chicago, Nora Murray, 30, got the news while on the way to an opera matinee. She worried that the U.S. strikes would draw retaliation. “There’s more to come,” she said. “I think fighting Aighanistan is going to be very difficult ” At the Mormon general con ference, Hinckley was handed a note about the U.S. strikes, then addressed the crowd. “We are plunged into the state of war—the first war of the 21st century,” Hinckley said. “This is not a matter of Christian against Muslim.... Do not be come a party in any way in the persecution of the innocent” Residents of the nation’s largest Afghan community, in Fremont, Calif., reacted with a mix of joy and apprehension. Bin Laden is widely loathed there, but many Afghan immi grants fear relatives in their homeland will suffer during the conflict. “The good thing is I am hap py they started,” said Homayoun Khamosh, owner of the Pamir Food Mart. “And the bad thing is I don’t want civilians dead for nothing.” Some see strike as war on Islam Arab citizens angry, worried about attacks on Afghanistan BY MARIAM FAM ASSOCIATED PRESS CAIRO, EGYPT - Moderate Arab countries were slow to comment on the U.S. and British strikes on Afghanistan, but in the streets across the Muslim world, many de nounced it as a war against Arabs and Muslims. Moustafa Abdel Salam, a 28 year-old Cairo accountant, said “America is now fighting ter rorism, when it is the one that has created terrorism from the beginning.” He said he was worried the United States would use the at tacks to falsely accuse Arab and Islamic countries of terrorism. In Pakistan, several influ ential clerics swiftly de nounced the military strikes, calling them an attack against Islam. The influential Afghan Defense Council, which is sym pathetic'to the Taliban and based in the Pakistani city of Lahore, issueu a can ior nuiy wai. Munawar Hassan, deputy chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan’s most powerful reli gious political party, called the strikes on the Afghan capital, Kabul, “an attack against Islam.” In downtown Peshawar, a Pakistani city near the Afghan border, knots of angry men gathered, shouting “Osama! Osama!” and “America is a ter rorist.” Some held crackling radios to their ears and called out news updates. “It is terrorism against ter rorism, and that will solve nothing,” Amin Shinwari said. Pakistan’s government, which has thrown its support behind the U.S.-led coalition against terrorism, said it re gretted that diplomatic efforts did not succeed and called for the U.S. action to remain “clearly targeted.” Many moderate Arab coun tries have expressed limited support for an anti-terrorism campaign but have offered no troops. In the hours after the U.S. assault, many remained silent, but anger over the U.S. move was widespread among ordi nary citizens. Kamal Ahmed, a Cairo cab driver, said Arab countries should support Afghanistan because it’s an Islamic coun try. “They should back it fi nancially and military,” he said. Since the terrorist attacks on Washington and New York, many Arabs and Muslims have rejected U.S. allegations that bin Laden was behind the carnage. “America should show us proof against bin Laden before hitting Afghanistan,” said Rola al-Bosh, a 39-year-old Syrian who watched the strikes on Arab TV along with other pa trons at the Havana Cafe in Damascus. “And even if bin Laden is guilty, it’s not fair that a whole people are being punished for the mistake of one man. ” iraqi 1 v denounced me U.S.-British missile assault on Afghanistan as “treacherous aggression.” Iraqi TV had ear lier taken the unusual step of linking up with the popular Arabic satellite station Al Jazeera to show live coverage of the strikes on the Afghan capital. The link-up was abruptly ended when video of President Bush appeared on the station. In Iran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Assefi called the attacks “unaccept able,” saying they were launched “regardless of the world public opinion, espe cially the Muslim nations and will damage the innocent and oppressed Afghans.” Assefi, quoted by the Iranian news agency, IRNA, cautioned the United States to avoid Iranian air space. IN THEIR OWN WORDS Responses to U.S. strikes in Afghanistan COMPILED FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS “What time is it now?” NORTHERN ALLIANCE SPOKESMAN ABDULLAH, WHEN ASKED SUNDAY MORNING HOW SOON U.S. MILITARY ACTION WOULD BE COMING “I gave them fair warning and they chose not to heed it.” PRESIDENT BUSH TO WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN ARI FLEISCHER “To all the men and women in our military - every sailor, every soldier, every airman, every Coast Guardsman, every Marine -1 say this: ‘Your mission is defined, your objectives are clear, your goal is just. You have my full confidence. And you will have every tool you need to carry out your duty.” PRESIDENT BUSH SPEAKING TO THE NATION SUNDAY l “The president can act with patience and deliberation because the American people are united behind our duty to vindicate freedom. Our resolve to defeat the cancer of international terrorism is fixed and unshakable.” HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP TOM DELAY, R-TEXAS “We must remain strong and vigilant. We must insist on living on our terms, according to our values not on terms dictated from the shadows. I cannot promise that the campaign against terrorism will be painless, but I can promise that it will be won.” CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JEAN CHRETIEN “They were given the choice of siding with justice or siding with terror. They chose to side with terror.” BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR SPEAKING ABOUT THE TALIBAN “We were poor, but things were good. Not everyone had electricity or running water, but we had something more important. We had peace.” HAJI DILBAR, WHO FLED WITH HIS FAMILY TO PAKISTAN, AFTER THE SOVIETS INVADED AFGHANISTAN IN 1979, ON AFGHANISTAN BEFORE THE TALIBAN CAME TO POWER “I don’t know when or where or how, but you can just about believe that there are going to be more attacks. To lull the American people to sleep...would be a terrible thing to do.” SEN. RICHARD SHELBY OF ALABAMA ON RETALIATION FROM THE TALIBAN HOURS BEFORE U.S. ATTACKS BEGAN “Today, we focus on Afghanistan, but the battle is broader.” PRESIDENT BUSH SPEAKING TO THE NATION SUNDAY POLICE REPORT Each numbered symbol on the map represents a single crime that corresponds with the numbered descriptions in the list below it. {□ Violent crimes ■ | —-—---—- > NIGHT CRIMES Q Nonviolent crimes # J (6p.m.-6a.m.) El © CRIMES AT UNKNOWN HOURS Wednesday, Oct. 3 ® CRIMINAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, 630 ASSEMBLY ST. Reporting Officer J. A. Henry was called to the Holiday Inn about an incident of criminal domestic violence. Upon arrival, the officer met the complainant, who said she and the suspect had a verbal altercation. The investigation continues. Thursday, Oct. 4 O ILLEGAL USE OF PHONE/SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY, MOORE DORM The victim said someone tried to enter her room. She also said someone called and threatened her verbally. The victim was given a log to keep track of the calls. Reporting officer: N. Beza. o MALICIOUS INJURY TO REAL PROPERTY, 918 BARNWELL ST. Someone broke the glass of the front door of Columbia Hall. Paul Green of Sizemore Security heard the glass break but couldn’t find a suspect. Maintenance was notified. Reporting officer: T.A. Henry. (?) GRAND LARCENY OF LAPTOP, II MED PARK SUITE 300 (OFF MAP) A Gateway SOLO 9300 CL Laptop was taken from the incident location. The investigation continues. Estimated value: $3,049. Reporting officer: L. Forte. Saturday, Oct. 6 □ SIMPLE ASSAULT, 1175 SOUTH HARDEN ST. The victim said the suspect entered the residence and threw a baseball bat at him. The suspect then left and returned a short while later. Reporting officer: J.P. Edwards. U SIMPLE ASSAULT, 4427 BLOSSOM ST. (OFF MAP) The victim said he dropped off his female friend and the suspect started hitting the female. The victim said he tried to stop the suspect, and the suspect punched him in his face several times. The victim was treated at the Providence Hospital ER. The victim wasn’t sure who the the suspect was. Reporting officer: R.V. Strenk. □ SIMPLE ASSAULT, 1600 MAIN ST. The victim said the suspect had been following him and swinging a stick at him. When they reached the incident location, the victim and the suspect had a verbal altercation. The suspect then swung the stick, striking the victim’s right hand. The victim wasn’t injured. Reporting officer: M. Spines. B SIMPLE ASSAULT, 700 GERVAIS ST. The victim said that while he was at Banana Joe’s, the suspect threw a beer bottle, hitting him in the back of the head. The victim also said the suspect scratched his left hand several times. The victim indicated he had no idea why the suspect attacked him. The victim refused medical attention. The suspect fled the scene before reporting officer J.L. Rivers arrived. Europeans back U.S.-British retaliation efforts BY MARCUS ELIASON ASSOCIATED PRESS European governments gave swift and solid backing to the U.S.-British attacks on Osama bin Laden and his backers Sunday, with France saying its forces would also take part. Iran and Iraq protested the ac tion in Afghanistan. On the streets across the Islamic world, many de nounced the attack as an act of war against Arabs and Muslims. Baghdad called the missile attack and air raids “treacherous aggres sion;” Israel supported them as “the right and courageous decision.” Bush telephoned several European leaders just before the attacks began, including French President Jacques Chirac. Later, in a televised address to the French people, Chirac said: “Our forces will participate. At this stage French vessels are associat ed with this operation.” Until now France had offered airspace and naval logistical sup port. “In recent days,” Chirac said, “the United States made new de mands for military participation.” Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien confirmed his country would meet Bush’s request for a military contribution. In a message to the nation he said military units were being told to report for duty. ’ Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi put his country on heightened alert and promised that “Italy is by the side of the United States and all who are committed to the battle against terrorism.” Italy has offered troops, as well as use of its ports and airports. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder promised Bush his country’s “unlimited solidarity.” “There is no alternative to this struggle, which we must win and will win,” Schroeder told reporters. ‘Together with our allies we have to face this human plague which is terrorism,” Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski said. “The fight will be long, risky and painful,” he said. “Today’s cam paign is only the beginning. It will require a lot of effort and conces sions, also on part of our society. We are ready for it.” Small anti-war demonstrations were held in some European cities, and some governments expressed regret that mil itary action couldn’t be avoided. Although those governments mentioned the need to spare civil ian lives and get humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, the overall stress was on supporting Sunday’s attack. Romano Prodi, president of the 15-nation European Commission, said “all Europe stands steadfast with the United States and its coali tion allies to pursue the fight against terrorism” and “against those who attack the very founda tions of civilization.” Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said on CNN: “We feel part and parcel of this campaign, and if we are asked (to help), everything will be considered seriously and positively.” Moustafa Abdel Salam, a 28-ydar old Cairo accountant, said “America is now fighting terrorism, when it is the one that has created terrorism from the beginning.” Rola al-Bosh, a 39-year-old woman watching the news on TV in a Damascus cafe, said she wanted to see proof against bin Laden. “And even if bin Laden is guilty, it’s not fair that a whole people are being pun ished for the mistake of one man.” Afghanistan Bin Laden speaks on tape against US. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 its softest spots.” The tape, released after the U.S. and British strikes began, showed bin Laden dressed in fatigues and an Afghan headdress. It appeared to be daytime, which would mean the tape was made before the night time attack Sunday. “Millions of innocent children are being killed in Iraq and in Palestine and we don’t hear a word from the infidels. We don’t hear a raised voice,” bin Laden said on the tape. “When the sword falls on the United States, they cry for their children and they cry for their peo ple. The least you can say about these people is that they are sin ners. They have helped evil tri umph over good.” The Pakistani government, which has thrown its support to the U.S.-led coalition against terrorism, said it regretted that diplomatic efforts didn’t succeed and called for the U.S. action to remain “clearly targeted.” Pakistan had been the Taliban’s closest ally until the Sept. 11 at tacks. But Pakistani defense min istry officials confirmed that Pakistan’s airspace was used by U.S. and British forces to launch attacks Sunday night, and, in Chaman, vehicles carrying Pakistani soldiers could be seen heading for the Afghan border. Not all in Pakistan were behind the strikes, however. The influen tial and Taliban-sympathetic Afghan Defense Council, based in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, issued a call for "jihad,” or holy war. The council comprises more than 30 religious and militant groups. “It is the duty of every Muslim to support their brothers in this crit ical hour,” central leader Riaz Durana said. “We will support the Taliban physically and morally against the aggression of America.” Earlier Sunday, the Taliban had made an llth-hour appeal to pre vent U.S. attacks: They offered to detain bin Laden and try him un der Islamic law if the United States made a formal request. The Bush administration quickly rejected the Taliban proposal, with White House spokesman Scott McClellan saying Bush’s demands “are clear and nonnegotiable.” Washington has also rejected Afghanistan’s attempt to use eight jailed foreign aid workers as bar gaining chips to pressure the United States to halt its planned anti-terrorist offensive. The eight aid workers in Kabul — four Germans, two Americans and two Australians t- were arrested in August on charges of trying to con vert Muslims to Christianity.