``Bin Laden, Funding Terrorists Confirmed``

Foreign sources reported that clear evidence of Osama Bin Laden`s connection with the terrorist attackers has been discovered.

The US sent the evidence to NATO allies, Pakistan, Russia, and Japan by secret communiqués and urgent transmissions on October 2nd.

British daily newspapers, The Mirror and The Guardian reported on the 3rd that Bin Laden`s organization Al Qaeda`s head of finances, Mustafa Ahmad wired funds on September 8 and 9 to Mohamed Atta, one of the known terrorist attackers, through a financial network in Dubai. The Mirror reported that $15, 000 (approximately 19,500,000 won) leftover from the operation was sent back to Dubai just before the attack.

American NBC news reported on October 2nd that a recorded phone conversation revealed Bin Laden calling his aunt Al Kalifa Bin Laden in Paris, France on September 9 and saying, ``In two days you will hear immense news and cannot communicate by phone for a time.``

Experts think that American investigators have found clear evidence of Bin Laden`s involvement in the attack.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair stated on September 30 through the BBC, ``We have acquired clear evidence that Bin Laden masterminded the terrorist operation. We are looking into how the evidence can be made publicly available.``

Also high ranking NATO officials received report of the evidence from the American envoy Frank Taylor on the 2nd and decided that ``the facts are clear and compelling.`` After receiving the report, NATO announced that it will exercise its `collective self-defense power` according to article 5, with all member nations participating in the war against terrorism.

Russian President Vladmir Putin and Pakistan`s President General Pervez Musharraf also confirmed the evidence acquired by the US.

Meanwhile, officials in Turkey reported that Bin Laden`s brother Abdullah Bin Laden was arrested at the airport in Istanbul while traveling from Saudi Arabia to Cyprus. He was found carrying false identification documents.

Kwon Ki-Tae kkt@donga.com