European Union leaders have agreed to meet in emergency session on Friday in an attempt to maintain a common approach in the aftermath of last week's terrorist attacks in the United States. Belgium, which holds the EU presidency, announced that leaders and their foreign ministers will discuss "the evolving international situation".
Anti-terrorism experts from France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands met in Brussels yesterday to co-ordinate their search for those responsible for last week's attacks. They said recent arrests had uncovered a plot by Islamic militants to attack US interests in Europe.
"It is clear we are dealing here with a network of radical Islamist Mujahideen spread across Europe. But as to whether there is a direct link between this case and Osama bin Laden, that is a step I don't want to take now," Belgium's deputy public prosecutor, Mr Bernhard Michel, said after the meeting.
EU Justice and Home Affairs ministers will meet on Thursday to consider a package of anti-terrorist measures proposed by the Commission. The proposed measures include a common definition of terrorism and the introduction of a common European arrest warrant.
The German cabinet will meet tomorrow to discuss a range of measures including putting fingerprints in all passports, loosening strict data protection laws and banning some extremist organisations. Britain's Home Secretary, Mr David Blunkett, said yesterday that his government would consider the introduction of a voluntary identity card to help control its borders.
The leaders' decision to hold an emergency meeting comes amid signs of disagreement between European states over the appropriate response to last week's attacks. Most EU states are members of NATO, which last week invoked Article 5, a mutual defence clause in its founding treaty and declared that the attack on the US was an attack on NATO as a whole. In recent days, however, European politicians have stressed that last week's resolution does not commit them to participate in any military operation that Washington launches.
Senior EU diplomats are adamant that a military response should be accompanied by political and diplomatic action to reduce support for extremist groups, particularly in the Middle East.
The French Defence Minister, Mr Alain Richard, said yesterday that, in responding to the attacks, the West must look at a number of options. "Armed action is only one component. We must use it in a way that doesn't provoke other elements of instability," he said. Spain has given one of the strongest signals of support to US action against the perpetrators of last week's attacks. The Defence Minister, Mr Federico Trillo, said his country's bases would be made available for any operation. "Spain will act without any reservations and as an active member of NATO because we have suffered from terrorism more than anybody," he said.
Although Europe has been generous in offers of moral support to the US, the most important practical step taken so far may have been yesterday's decision by the European Central Bank (ECB) to cut interest rates by half of one per cent. The ECB has indicated that it will make substantial reserves available to support the dollar if the US currency comes under attack in financial markets.
Fears about the impact of last week's events on the world economy are likely to dominate a meeting of EU finance ministers in the Belgian city of Liege this weekend.
Derek Scally adds from Berlin:
The German Chancellor, Mr Gerhard Schr÷der, yesterday pledged his support for military action. However he said military measures could only succeed when supported by diplomatic and economic measures.
"From rage and sadness must come strength and determination," he said in a speech that marked out government policy on possible military mobilisation after days of mixed signals from Berlin.
Mr Schr÷der's call echoes that of his Foreign Minister, Mr Joschka Fischer, who has warned against a "disproportionate response". "Our reaction should not contribute to more instability than there already is ..." Mr Fischer said.
The Defence Minister, Mr Rudolf Scharping, has put German troops on a heightened state of alert and has said he is examining all possibilities for "showing solidarity with the US". However he too has called for a "measured response" to the attacks.
Some 69 per cent of Germans favour German involvement in US-led military action while 27 per cent oppose the idea, according to a survey conducted for news channel N24.
Yesterday's speech puts Mr Schr÷der at odds with the president, Mr Johannes Rau, who said last week's attacks were "an attack on the whole of civilisation ... therefore we must react with civil means".
Unlike other NATO members, any cabinet decision to send German troops on foreign missions has to be backed by a parliamentary majority.