News digest: Sept. 19, 2001

The day's events | Losses

THE DAY'S EVENTS

• According to defense officials, the Pentagon ordered the deployment of combat and supply planes to the Persian Gulf area. The deployment has been dubbed "Operation Infinite Justice." It is not yet known how soon the planes will move.

• The aircraft carrier USS Roosevelt left its base in Norfolk, Va., for the Mediterranean Sea. More than 15,000 sailors and marines are part of the Roosevelt battle group.

• Pakistan's military ruler, President Pervez Musharraf, addressed his nation and said the U.S. decision to go after Osama bin Laden does not target Islam or the people of Afghanistan. Musharraf's decision to aid the United States has sparked anger among many Pakistanis.

• President Bush met with Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri in the Oval Office. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation. It was Bush's first meeting with a leader of a Muslim country since last Tuesday's terrorist attacks.

• Secretary of State Colin Powell met with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, who pledged Russia's cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

• The first criminal charges in the terror investigation were filed against three men in Detroit. The men were charged with identity fraud and misuse of visas.

• Federal investigators are searching for 190 people who may have information about last week's terrorist attacks. Attorney General John Ashcroft said the FBI has already detained 75 people for questioning.

• A group of senior Muslim clerics is meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan, to decide whether to extradite Saudi exile Osama bin Laden. The meeting is expected to take several days.

• Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said he hoped to have a relief package for the airline industry ready by early next week. Airlines have been in a financial tailspin since last week's terrorist attacks. In recent days, Continental Airlines announced 12,000 layoffs, U.S. Airways announced 11,000 layoffs, and Midway Airlines folded.

• As a result of declining orders, Boeing Co. announced it will lay off between 20,000 and 30,000 workers in its commercial jet unit by the end of 2002.

• The North American Aerospace Defense Command announced that fighter jets were only eight minutes away from one of the hijacked airliners when it crashed into the World Trade Center. Two other jets were 12 minutes away from the airliner that crashed into the Pentagon.