Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei continued to refer to Israel as a 'cancerous tumor' that must be removed. Powell's analysis of the overall situation was more positive than in past years. As examples of progress, he cited the tightened U.N. Security Council sanctions against Afghanistan, which harbors Osama bin Laden, wanted for the bombings of two U.S. embassies in East Africa in 1998. He also pointed to the trial and conviction of a Libyan intelligence officer in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, and to continued progress in the investigation of the bombing of the USS Cole last October in Yemen. That incident killed 17 American sailors and, according to the report, accounted for all but two of the Americans who died in terrorist incidents in 2000.
Terrorist groups are under growing pressure.
Terrorists are being brought to justice. We will not let up. The number of anti-American attacks rose from 169 in 1999 to 200 in 2000, the report said. This was largely because of an increase in pipeline bombings in Colombia. These attacks, though numerous, rarely result in casualties.