During a Pentagon news briefing today, Mr. Rumsfeld hinted at the broader approach to potential retaliation, while noting the difficulty of combatting terrorism.

"This case is about a potential retaliation against a whistle-blower."

The estate's argument for disclosure of these names was "substantially outweighed by the interest of the government and the victims in shielding their employees from potential retaliation," wrote Judge Nathaniel Gorton.

The potential retaliation requested was several hundred million dollars.

Officials also said today that the alert level of American and British forces in the gulf had been increased as a precaution against potential Iraqi retaliation for today's United Nations Security Council resolution.

Mr. Chirac must move to assuage the fears of French executives of potential American retaliation against France's economy, which was already mired in a recession.

Harry's real last name is actually Niletti; he changed it before he joined the force to protect his family from potential retaliation by the Mob.

That has put the focus of potential retaliation in central Asia, though that could change if the United States concluded that an Arab country had provided support.

All are from Newark, but Ms. Wright would not give their names because she said they needed to be protected from potential retaliation.

But potential retaliation could be very significant.