He has battled for years with Governor Pataki and his advisers, and some Republicans and Democrats now say that members of the Pataki camp are tacitly backing his opponent's bid.

In those years the Israeli occupation authorities tacitly backed Hamas as a counter to the power of Mr. Arafat, and what had been Gaza University was renamed Islamic University.

What is unclear is whether senior Palestinian officials approved the attacks, tried to stop them or tacitly backed them by not intervening.

After tacitly backing northern California offshore drilling, he recently stated, "I do believe that you can have compatibility between esthetics, conservation and other environmental concerns and national energy requirements."

France, backed tacitly by Russia, has argued for two resolutions, leaving the authorization of war until after the arms inspectors have reported violations by Baghdad.

General Manuel Noriega, the man they failed to overthrow, is now turning his wrath to civilian opponents, saying he intends to present emergency legislation to purge the bureaucracy of 'treasonous' government employees who tacitly backed the uprising.

In a further setback to the general, results issued early this morning showed that the political party he tacitly backed, the Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-i-Azam, had failed to win a majority, although it led with 77 seats.

Aziz ironically associated with the Pakistan's foreign policy after his removal and tacitly backed Pakistan's decision to conduct nuclear tests.

The relationship between the United States and Mr. Chávez, which was already tense, deteriorated in 2002, after the United States tacitly backed a coup that briefly toppled him.

The Socialists are also on the defensive because of suggestions that insider trading occurred just before a private group, backed at least tacitly by the Government, began an unsuccessful raid on Societe Generale, France's third-largest bank.