BBC Thursday, 13 September, 2001, 12:04 GMT 13:04 UK British death toll approaches 100 Relatives and friends have flooded a UK helpline

The confirmed number of UK victims of the terror attacks in the US is approaching 100, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has said.

But the final toll was expected to be in the "middle hundreds" and may be higher still, he warned.

A "handful" of Britons were among those who died on board the aircraft used in the terrorist attacks, Downing Street said.

Prime Minister Tony Blair warned an emergency cabinet meeting that the US tragedy would "touch every community here" as the British death toll continues to rise.

Scotland Yard's casualty bureau is co-ordinating the effort to trace Britons who are missing following Tuesday's strikes.

It has already contacted the families of many of the confirmed fatalities, Mr Straw said.

And there has been a "massive" number of calls to the Foreign Office's emergency line from relatives still waiting for news.

Mr Straw said given the appalling scenes at the World Trade Center, hope must be fading for many British families.

He stressed the casualty figures were imprecise, adding that the atrocities had literally created a "fog of war" where people who were missing sometimes were reunited with their families - but more often were not.

None of the confirmed casualties has yet been named.

International response

Mr Straw said Nato and the United Nations security council were both resolved to take any necessary action to bring those responsible to account.

And he said British intelligence services would "intensify" their work with the US authorities in sharing information about the attacks.

But he warned it would never be possible to gather intelligence on "every evil group in the world."

Speaking earlier on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Straw denied that the British government was trying to persuade the US to "cool" its response, which has been framed in terms of war.

There should be, he said, "a determined response, a response that is based on judgments, and of course which is based on evidence".

Royal tribute

Security measures, including a ban on flights over central London, remain in place across the UK.

They will be reviewed again at a meeting of the government's civil contingencies committee (CCC), ahead of the full cabinet meeting.

Parliament is being recalled on Friday. On the same day there will be an EU-wide day of mourning where all member states have been asked to observe three minutes of silence at 1100BST (1000GMT).

MPs will return to Westminster to hear a statement from Mr Blair and to debate the implications of the atrocities.

Condolence books have been started in most major cities and towns around the UK, and bunches of flowers from well-wishers are building outside the US embassy in London.

In an unprecedented move the US National Anthem will be played during a special changing of the guard ceremony to be held at Buckingham Palace at 1130BST on Thursday.

The Queen is cutting short her holiday in Balmoral to attend a special memorial service in St Paul's Cathedral on Friday.

On Wednesday, Prince Charles said the victims and their families were in his prayers, recalling his own feelings when his uncle Lord Mountbatten was killed by the IRA.

Anxious wait

Individual stories have started to emerge of the anguished wait this side of the Atlantic for news of friends and relatives.

Friends, colleagues and families of workers from London-based publishing company Risk Waters are waiting for news.

The company had been holding an 180-delegate conference on the 106th floor of the World Trade Center when the attacks were launched, and has been unable to establish the whereabouts of any of the attendees since.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Answers

I see an unknown number of visitors that may never be accounted for.

Also, this type of incident is commonly used by some to 'disappear' so they don't have to deal with their present lives.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

We read the same books!

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001