Britain signalled its readiness to send 6,000 troops into Afghanistan yesterday and insisted the Northern Alliance was not opposed to the deployment of its forces in tracking down Osama bin Laden.
It was originally estimated that up to 4,000 troops were on 48-hour standby, but confirming an increase in the number of military personnel on high alert, the Defence Secretary, Mr Geoff Hoon, said British forces had "an important role to play" in the coalition against terrorism and in the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Alliance forces were yesterday preparing to launch an attack against the last Taliban stronghold in northern Afghanistan in Kunduz and coalition forces were reported to be "closing down" Osama bin Laden to an area 30 miles outside Kandahar. British special forces are already on the ground with US troops closing in on Osama bin Laden and members of his al-Qaeda terrorist network.
But with the military campaign moving faster than expected and the potential for civil war if the political vacuum is not filled, it is expected that additional British troop deployments will provide "technical assistance" to the Northern Alliance as Afghanistan is rebuilt.
As an estimated 10,000 people attended an anti-war rally in central London - organisers insisted 50,000 turned up - Downing Street declared Osama bin Laden "cannot hide from justice forever" and dismissed reports that the Northern Alliance disagreed with the presence of British forces.
The Northern Alliance leadership insisted yesterday British forces were welcome, and a Downing Street spokesman told The Irish Times that discussions with Northern Alliance leaders had taken place before Royal Marines commandos were sent in to secure Bagram airport outside Kabul last week.
"Those discussions took place and they are they are taking place now," he said. "One Northern Alliance spokesman doesn't necessarily represent the whole view of the Northern Alliance." British forces had a mandate for military action in Afghanistan under the UN Security Council.
Britain's agreement with Northern Alliance leaders was echoed by Mr Hoon, who stressed they were "positive" about Britain's military role and the Northern Ireland Secretary, Dr John Reid, insisted: "We are content we are there with the proper authority."
Earlier, the Home Secretary, Mr David Blunkett, urging people to be "cautious but optimistic" about the military action, hinted at the unease among some Alliance leaders when he said they welcomed the "limited intervention" of British troops, "so far". He also defended controversial anti-terrorism laws, including the introduction of a limited form of internment, which will be debated in the Commons today.
Mr Blunkett told BBC Television that if he had got the new laws wrong "my head is on the block". However, acting on the advice of anti-terrorism experts, who said some suspects could not be extradited because they faced torture or murder, he felt the proposals were "eminently" reasonable.