The first cracks appeared in George Bush's fledgling international coalition against terrorism yesterday over the extent of military action against the prime suspect for the New York and Washington attacks, Osama bin Laden, and any countries harbouring him.
Only two days after replying positively to Mr Bush's rallying call, several European countries and Russia - whose support is considered vital for any action against Bin Laden's refuge in Afghanistan - yesterday qualified their backing.

In contrast, Tony Blair is unequivocal that Britain should participate fully in the expected US military action. He told a packed Commons, recalled to emergency session yesterday: "Murder of British people in New York is no different in nature from their murder in the heart of Britain itself. In the most direct sense, therefore, we have not just an interest, but an obligation to bring those responsible to account."

The British view is that diplomatic action alone will be insufficient, even if a squeeze on the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan and its ally Pakistan forces them into giving up Bin Laden, leader of the terrorist group al-Qaida.

Mr Blair's stance opens up the prospect of the US and Britain lining up together behind a hawkish position while key European countries remain far more cautious, as happened in the attack on Libya in 1986 and in repeated raids on Iraq since the end of the Gulf war.

Mr Bush gave the Pentagon authority yesterday to call 50,000 reservists to active duty. Although the soldiers will be used for "homeland defence", it marks the first step towards putting the US on a war footing.

The Senate also unanimously approved a resolution to allow the administration to "use all necessary and appropriate force" against the perpetrators of the hijack attacks - including against any states that may have helped them. Congress approved a $40bn down payment for rebuilding and retaliation.

The Ministry of Defence is already preparing contingency plans for British military involvement. But France signalled that it would not automatically support military action. "Our humane, political and functional solidarity [with the US] does not deprive us of our sovereignty and freedom to make up our own minds," the French prime minister, Lionel Jospin, maintained.