Bush announces new terrorist-tracking move

George W Bush is moving to tighten restrictions on immigration rules so people who commit or support terrorists are barred entry to the US.

He will announce the creation of a tracking force which will help government agencies to keep those with links to terror groups out of the country.

This will allow those associated with terrorists who already live in the US to be detained, prosecuted or deported, says White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.

"Obviously, on Sept. 11, a group of alien terrorists got into our nation and attacked the Pentagon and World Trade Centre, so obviously there's a need for tightening up," Fleischer said.

"The president believes that the foreign terrorist tracking task force can ... do its best to prevent any future episodes."

Tom Ridge, director of Bush's Office of Homeland Security, said Attorney General John Ashcroft will lead the task force and will look at all aspects of foreigners' access to the United States.

"Their charge will be to look at all options, all policies and procedures relating to access of noncitizens to this country," Ridge said. "A point of access becomes a point of vulnerability. ... Whether or not it requires any changes in the law remains to be seen."

Bush was announcing the task force Monday during a meeting of his domestic security council. The session will be the first chaired by Bush since the council's creation in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Fleischer did not offer more details on the task force or say which agencies would work with it. But those involved, he said, will be directed by Bush to "work together to locate, detain, prosecute or deport any aliens who are already here who may be engaging in terrorism."

"Obviously people got in and committed the crimes they committed, and that's one lesson we should take from it," Fleischer said.