Will Bush's asset freeze work?

US President George W Bush has ordered a freeze on the assets of people and groups he says are linked to "terrorists". BBC News Online examines whether this can prevent attacks like the ones on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center.

What is the United States doing?

The US President has added a further 62 names to the list of 27 suspected terrorist associates announced in October.

The list includes organisations government classes as terrorist groups, their leaders, their supporters or non-profit groups seen as fronts - witting or otherwise - for the flow of money to suspected terrorists.

Investigators will also examine the records of all transactions relating to these assets.

The names on Bush's October list

Groups:

Al Qaida/Islamic Army

Abu Sayyaf Group

Armed Islamic Group (GIA)

Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HUM)

Al-Jihad (Egyptian Islamic Jihad)

Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU)

Asbat al-Ansar

Salafist Group for Call and Combat (GSPC)

Libyan Islamic Fighting Group

Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya (AIAI)

Islamic Army of Aden

Individuals:

Osama bin Laden

Muhammad Atif (aka Subhi Abu Sitta, Abu Hafs Al Masri)

Sayf al-Adl

Shaykh Sai'id (aka Mustafa Muhammad Ahmad)

Abu Hafs the Mauritanian (aka Mahfouz Ould al-Walid, Khalid Al-Shaqiti)

Ibn Al-Shaykh al-Libi

Abu Zubaydah (aka Zayn al-Abidin Muhammad Husayn Tariq)

Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi (aka Abu Abdallah)

Ayman al-Zawahiri

Thirwat Salah Shihata

Tariq Anwar al-Sayyid Ahmad (aka Fathi, Amr al-Fatih)

Muhammad Salah (aka Nasr Fahmi Nasr Hasanayn)

Charities:

Makhtab Al-Khidamat/Al Kifah

Wafa Humanitarian Organization

Al Rashid Trust

Alleged front:

Mamoun Darkazanli Import-Export Company