From staff and wire reports

                  WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The use of force to take Elian Gonzalez from his
                  Miami relatives and reunite the 6-year-old boy with his Cuban father is
                  one of the options Attorney General Janet Reno has discussed with aides,
                  sources told CNN on Friday.

                  While Reno has said she would abide by a federal appeals court ruling this week
                  that bans anyone from taking Elian out of the United States while his case is on
                  appeal, the ruling does not prevent a reunion with Juan Miguel Gonzalez.

                  Elian's father already has legal, if not physical, custody. Last week, the
                  government revoked the temporary custody awarded to the boy's great-uncle,
                  Lazaro Gonzalez, following Elian's rescue at sea nearly five months ago.

                  The government prefers that the Miami relatives
                  hand over the child voluntarily. The Miamians
                  have said they won't do that -- adding that they
                  won't resist, either, if federal agents come for
                  him.

                  That resistance complicates Reno's goal of
                  reuniting father and son in a way that minimizes
                  trauma on Elian and hostility from Miami's
                  Cuban-American community.

                  While the Justice Department won't discuss
                  publicly any law enforcement action under
                  consideration, the sources say much attention has
                  been given to sending in federal personnel to
                  retrieve Elian, with Miami police being used to
                  maintain crowd control.

                  Protesters who have gathered regularly outside
                  the home of Lazaro Gonzalez in Miami's Little
                  Havana neighborhood have said they would form
                  a human shield to prevent Elian from being taken.

                  Another Justice Department option under
                  consideration is to ask a Florida federal court to
                  order the great-uncle to surrender Elian. Refusal
                  by Lazaro Gonzalez could lead to his prosecution
                  on a contempt of court charge.

                  Any decision to remove the boy from the Miami
                  home would require rigorous planning by federal
                  law enforcement officials, including consideration
                  of factors such as Miami traffic and the weather
                  forecast, U.S. officials said, highlighting Reno's
                  concern for Elian's safety and that of government
                  agents.