Sunday November 4, 2:03 PM

NATO says unclear if bin Laden was alone in attacks

DUBAI (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General George Robertson said in remarks broadcast on Sunday that it was not clear if Osama bin Laden was the only perpetrator in the September 11 attacks on the United States.

"We don't know if he was solely responsible for organising and coordinating these operations because they were complicated operations," he said in an interview translated into Arabic with the Qatar-based al-Jazeera satellite television station.

Saudi-born militant bin Laden is suspected of masterminding the suicide plane attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center in New York and sliced into the Pentagon.

It was not clear when the interview with Robertson was conducted.

Robertson said that NATO was prepared to provide more support to the United States for its campaign against Afghanistan which is sheltering bin Laden, after agreeing to a list of U.S. requests, including use of airspace and access to ports, airfields and refuelling activities.

"It is clear that part of what is happening now is directed towards the perpetrators of these horrors which occur outside NATO's jurisdiction," he said.

"It is not appropriate to use NATO in that part of the world. But when it is appropriate to use it, NATO will be used as part of the coalition," Robertson added.

Robertson said that "the terrorists must understand that they will pay a heavy price".

NATO invoked its mutual defence clause for the first time in its 52-year history after the attacks on New York and Washington, agreeing that the strikes counted as an attack on all 19 alliance members.

Asked why NATO has forces in the Mediterranean, Robertson said: "The forces in the Mediterranean provide various alternatives and don't expect me to discuss more details."

When asked if NATO would agree to take part in any military action against Iraq, Robertson said:

"This is not currently on the agenda. The Americans have been clear until now in saying they have not seen evidence of the involvement of Iraq with bin Laden. If such evidence appears the international community will study the matter to see if there is a need to act or not."

Robertson said the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan was not a war against Islam.

-- Anonymous, November 04, 2001