Amsterdam, 12 September 2001

 Nato: Attack against one, 
is attack against all 

 
In a swift move of support, the Nato allies of the United States declared in Brussels on Wednesday art 5 of the Nato Charter  into action, "if it is determined that this attack was directed from abroad against the United States, it shall be regarded as an action covered by Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, which states that an armed attack against one or more of the Allies in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all."

It is the first time in the 50 year history of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) to invoke article 5 .

The article 5 stipulates that an attack on one, is an attack on them all and therefore, "each Ally will assist the Party that has been attacked by taking such action as it deems necessary."

The article goes into effect as soon as the US determines who are the perpetrators of the attack.

In 1999 the Allies concluded that the Nato treaty has been very successful in the Cold War, but also was recognized that there are new and major threads as terrorism. They committed to fight terrorsm.